august 1 - 14, 2014 every two weeks
Holy staycations Batman!
# 6 5 8 | I n s I d e s I n g a p o r e | www.is-magazine.com
ple o pe ake 49 o m ore wh p ga T n i S ea gr
page 3 Find Page 3 online at is.gd/page3
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ople 49 pe make who e apor Sing g r e aT
cover story
Wear what you dare
LOCAL HEROES It’s National Day, guys, and we’ve rounded up a helpful, fun, almost certainly ill-advised list of characters to dress up as to make the NDP a bit more colorful than usual.
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trAvEl
StylE
Bangkok on a scooter
Pony’s new highcuts
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14
tEch
dINING
Lomography
Peranakan plates
Anton Casey, notoriously classist Brit expat banker Downside: Everyone hates you. Upside: You’re rich.
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rEvIEw
INtErvIEw
Lower East side
steve-O
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Art
NIGhtlIfE
Japan’s trash sculptors
Miss Nine
who's in charge?
Publisher ric Stockfis Editorial Managing Editor Mrigaa Sethi editor@asia‑city.com.sg Custom Content Editor clara lim Junior Writers delle chan, letitia tandean design Associate Art Director Beverly chong Senior Designer carmen louise ho Designer fishy toh Multimedia Designer ‑ Photographer Mossy chew wenzhi
where to find us! Executives, Media & Marketing lee wee Keong, roderick wong Marketing Marketing Manager Silver Adrienna Ng marketing@asia‑city.com.sg finance Finance Manager lynn legaspi finance@asia‑city.com.sg Accountant huang huiping AcMG digital Digital Product Manager Nancy Ide Interns Brian Low Yong Wen, Cheang Ming, Geraldine Tan, Lim Yen Siu, Rio Liang, Sadira Patrick
Group directors Advertising Director, Business Development Advertising Intan Agustina advertising@asia‑city.com.sg Senior Manager, Media & Marketing Shernan Plameras
Joseph Schooling, national record-holding swimmer Upside: People will be thrilled to see the nation’s athletic pride and joy in the flesh. Downside: they may not appreciate you boozing in the stands when they realize you should be in glasgow for the Commonwealth games.
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Country Manager Andrew hiransomboon countrymanager@asia‑city.com.sg
Ng Eng Hen, Defence Minister Downside: You’re pretty unpopular among Nsmen for implementing a supposedly simplified, but definitely more brutally competitive IPPt. Upside: You don’t have to do it yourself.
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
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Prabowo Subianto, former general and newly-defeated Indonesian presidential candidate Upside: You’ll look right at home amidst all the military pomp. Downside: Most people think you’re a genocidal crybaby. Roy, one of the gay penguin dads in And Tango Makes Three Upside: You’re no longer slated for destruction by the NLB. Downside: Parents may resent having to engage with their kids long enough to explain your appalling existence.
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) 151/12/2013
Eric Ding, Singaporean businessman recently convicted of football match-fixing Downside: You’re probably on your way to jail. Upside: You could collect a few outstanding debts from the crowd before you go. Choo Chong Ngen, Hotel 81 magnate and a new entrant on Singapore’s billionaire list Upside: You may get the full VIP treatment. Downside: No one will recognize you. Tony Tan, President of Singapore Downside: It’s almost certainly illegal to impersonate the President. Upside: He’s out of town so much these days, you might just get away with it. Please note that I-s Magazine assumes no responsibility for what fate befalls you should you take up one of our crackpot ideas.
Distributed by
Chief Executive Officer Gretchen worth gworth@asia‑city.co.th Group Digital Director Greg duncan gduncan@asia‑city.com.sg
cover by Beverly Chong
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FRIDAY, August 1, 2014 I-S MAGAZINE
3
UP FRONT We
Quote of the Week
Be Good
“NLB’s approach is to reflect existing social norms, and not to challenge or seek to change them.”
Lunch with seniors
—Dr. Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Communications and Information, about the National Library Board’s decision to ban three children’s titles for depicting alternative families.
OB Index Charting the ups and downs of Singapore's openness, tolerance and freedom of expression. July
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The government has just passed new amendments to its Copyright Act. Rights holders can now apply to the courts for injunctions demanding local Internet service providers to block access to infringing sites. Simply put, this means that popular piracy related sites like Pirate Bay will soon be inaccessible to Singapore users. Bye-bye, binge-watching.
This week you will mainly love your city for its...
Spend a part of your weekend volunteering at the Mi Le Old Folks’ Association charity lunch (Aug 31, 10am, Kian Seng Restaurant, #01-450 4013 Ang Mo Kio Industrial Park), which will be hosting over 500 senior citizens. Duties include ferrying participants from buses to the restaurant, as well as serving them during the lunch. More information at www.sgvolunteer.com.
Numerology 37
3 in 5
The average number of photos and videos Singaporeans share per week when on a beach vacation (almost double the global average of 19) according to Expedia’s Flip Flop 2014 report.
Number of Singaporeans who check their emails, use social media or shop online while watching TV at the same time, according to research firm TNS.
570,000 Total number of people who turned up at community clubs for World Cup screenings last month.
SG
$7.80 Levy proposed by Malaysia for all foreignregistered cars entering Johor Bahru, causing an outcry among Singaporean businesses.
$35 Levy foreign-registered cars can expect to pay upon entering Singapore starting this month.
Conservation initiatives The National Parks Board will be setting up a Marine Park (the first of its kind in Singapore) at Sisters Islands. Called the Sisters’ Islands Marine Park, the 40-hectare space will span the land and waters surrounding the islands, as well as the western coasts of St. John’s Island and Pulau Tekukor. It’ll be used for outreach, education, conservation and research purposes related to Singapore’s native marine life. It’s slated to be completed next year, but NParks and other nature groups will already be organizing twice monthly group visits to the islands from this month onwards. Sign up at www.nparks.gov.sg/ sistersislandsmarinepark.
Sources: Channel News Asia and The Straits Times
Essential Events August 1 - 14 DO This
CAlENDAR Fri, Aug 1 The all-woman DJ collective ATTAGIRL! is at Winebar, with Durio, Jaydah and the rest spinning electro tunes. Winebar, 17 Jiak Kim St, 67382988. Free.
Pens & Pride Queer festival IndigNation kicks off with performances and readings by some of Singapore’s biggest lGBT writers, including writer Cyril Wong and Stephanie Dogfoot (pictured). Aug 1, 8pm, The Arts House.
SEE This
DON’T Miss
Spinning Wheels
Cranial Pursuit With music by Michael Nyman, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and director Ong Keng Sen re-stage Facing Goya, a modern opera involving mystery, science fiction and a woman’s search for painter Francisco Goya’s skull. Aug 12. Victoria Theatre, 11 Empress Place. www.sifa.sg. $40-120 from Sistic.
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I-S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, AUGUST 1, 2014
Celebrate National Day at Binary, a joint launch party for Coast Cycles’ newest bikes and Darker than Wax’s double lP Feelings in Color. NZ DJ Samuel Truth will spin, along with local peeps Cosa Nostra and William J. Aug 9, 10:30pm, The Vault, 23 Circular Rd. Free.
Gardens, Eastern Granola and other local food producers on the first Sunday of every month starting today. 9am. 22 Martin Rd., 6836-4695. Free.
American home decor brands Crate and Barrel, CB2, as well as Danish brand BoConcept are having a warehouse sale with up to 60% off sofas, chairs, tables, accessories and more. 11am. 3/F 20 Gul Way. Free.
Saturday nights go on forever with #dontstopkyo Kult is launching its new Saturdays launch party and macabre skulls and celebrating extended SAt, Aug 9 stickers themed art book clubbing hours. Party Loof is paying STICKERBOMB. Have a drink, until 6am with a National Day pick up a copy and browse DJs Bottin, Matty tribute to Hello the gallery’s new art work. Wainwright and Kitty with DJs, 7pm. Kult Gallery, C2-5 11 Stephen Day. 11pm. satay, a pre-loved Upper Wilkie Rd. Free. #B1-02 Keck Seng kitties sale and a Manhattan view of the fireworks. Old school games and toys Tower, 133 Cecil St., make a comeback at The 8299-8735. $20-25. Book ahead. Odeon People’s Party, alongside Towers Extension Rooftop, live art jams involving Sun, Aug 3 331 North Bridge Rd., 9773Singaporean artists and Live music listings 9304. Free. musicians. 9pm. The site Bandwagon Vault, 23 Circular is back with The Sun, Aug 10 Rd., 6223-9695. Music Market. “It” hotel bar Manhattan Free. Expect a vinyl launches its brunch with freemarket, food and flow cocktails, a build-yourSAt, Aug 2 live performances own Bloody Mary cart and Common Man Coffee by The Sam Willows, hangover cures like pulled Edible gardens Cashew Chemists and Roasters inaugurates a pork sliders and peppercorn weekend food market others. Hard Rock Café, steak. Reservtions essential. of its own. Green Project HPL House, 50 Cuscaden Rd., The Regent, 1 Cuscaden Rd., brings together Edible 6235-5232. $15 from Peatix. 6725-3377. $150/person.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 1, 2014 I-S MAGAZINE
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COVER STORY
LOCAL HEROES From poets to bartenders to social workers, here are 49 people who make Singapore great. By Delle Chan, Mrigaa Sethi and Letitia Tandean
4 9 WHo
LE PEoP NgAPoRE KE Si
MA
g R E AT
Our city is turning 49 this month, and to mark the occasion, we salute 49 inspiring individuals. We don’t mean the head-honchos, big-deal businesspeople and policymakers either. We mean regular people—artists, farmers, history nerds—whose dogged pursuit of their passions makes Singapore proud, progressive and just plain fun.
louis ong Louis ditched his IT career to do something a lot more meaningful: his organization Transient Workers Count Too (www.twc2.org.sg) helps migrant workers find their voice and stand up against problems like like employer abuse and job scams.
SKL0 pled guilty in 2012 to the offence of plastering roads and traffic lights with tongue-in-cheek slogans (remember “My Grandfather Road”?), but now absolutely everyone, from MBS to Sentosa, wants in on her art.
PETER CHUA
charlie lim
Our 28 HongKong Street (6533-2001) homeboy Peter did us proud at Diageo Reserve World Class this year—he won Southeast Asia’s Best Bartender of the Year. “Always carry two packets of tissue. You never know when they may come in handy—they might just save you a sock or two.” MANDY WU
KF Seetoh Singapore’s unofficial hawker food authority KF Seetoh’s unwavering support of hawker culture—through World Street Food Congress and Makansutra (www. makansutra.com)—never fails to inspire us.
Honey-voiced singer-songwriter Charlie has broken into the Australia, Malaysia and Hong Kong markets, where he has a steady following. He has also performed at international festivals like Hong Kong’s Clockenflap Festival and South Korea’s Jarasum International Jazz Festival.
This author of three volumes of poetry regularly makes Singapore more literate through events like Lit Up festival and the monthly Singapore Poetry Slam, plus he mentors student writers on their craft.
See Marc at the launch of his third book Animal City, a Tim Burtonesque collection of children’s poems aimed at adults. Aug 23, 4:30pm, Aliwal Arts Centre, 28 Aliwal St. www.aliwalartscentre.sg
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“Meditation helps with making the madness in the city more bearable.”
I-S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, August 1, 2014
kenny leck
As the head honcho of Les Amis Group (www.lesamis.com.sg), Raymond has been spearheading independent fine dining in Singapore for 20 years—way before the influx of celeb chef imports. “The amount of great success Singapore has enjoyed [in the last 50 years will never be repeated again.”
The founder of BooksActually (9 Yong Siak St., 6222-9195) gives a voice to local poets, novelists and essayists through his publishing imprint, Math Paper Press and colorful literary discussions and readings at the store. “No smartphones for me at all. I strive not to be faster or more efficient; instead, I try to slow down, learn to be stationary and look at stationary things around me.”
ignatius chan
Priscilla left her law practice to start womenswear label Ong Shunmugam (B1-36 Hong Leong Building, 16 Raffles Quay, 6223-4808), one of only five Singaporean labels to have solo shows at Audi Fashion Week 2014. marc nair
Provocative poet and writer Alfian has loads of accolades under his belt. But have to say that we’re most fascinated by his honest, irreverent and incisive Facebook commentary (www.facebook.com/ alfiansaat), which have gained him quite an online following.
Urban farming advocate Bjorn left the advertising industry to nurture Singapore’s self-sustainability, co-founding Edible Gardens (ediblegardencity.wordpress.com) and sowing seeds on the People’s Park Complex rooftop carpark.
raymond lim
priscilla shunmugam
This unassuming Singaporebased jewelry designer (www. mandywu.com) turns out edgy, warrior-worthy metal gear we love, despite having no formal training.
alfian sa’at
Bjorn Low
samantha lo
juwanda hassim Theater geek by day and cafe owner by night, Juwanda is the flamboyant titular man behind The Fabulous Baker Boy (The Foothills, 70 River Valley Rd., 6694-8336). “My vegetable ladies at Holland Village [make Singapore better]. They are always smiley and I have never met more hardworking seniors.”
He was the first Asian inducted into the prestigious Jurade de Saint Emilion. Iggy’s (3/F Hilton Hotel, 581 Orchard Rd., 6732-2234) is now a mainstay on San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. becca d’bus Drag queen Becca d’Bus and her surreal, self-made costumes break up the city’s homogeneity. She’s also one of the organizers for this year’s LGBT fest IndigNation (www.facebook.com/ indignationsg).
Catch Becca at the next session of Dr Sketchy, her saucy life drawing series at Artistry (17 Jalan Pinang, 6298-2420. www.facebook.com/artistryspace). Aug 12, 8pm. $10
dennis tay Design evangelist Dennis’s online store Naiise (www. naiise.com) is an indispensable platform for local talents of all design genres— even artisanal food producers.
leong khai git Possibly Singapore’s answer to David Chang of Momofuku, the head chef of Dibs (51 Duxton Rd., 6223-3784) brings off-cuts and punchy, noholds-barred flavors to the masses. “Working in the Singapore outlet of an internationally famous restaurant is not always the best career choice.”
Readers’ Choice Awards 2014
VOTE & WIN
It’s that time of the year when we put our opinions aside and let you do the talking. A chance for you, our loyal readers, to tell us which you think are the most interesting, innovative and downright awesome individuals, venues, products and services in Singapore. It only takes a few minutes (you can vote in just one category if you’re feeling especially lazy) and you stand a chance to win some fabulous prizes including weekend staycations at some top hotels. Double your chances to win these prizes if you tell us more about yourself by taking part in our annual reader survey at the end of the voting. Take a look at some of the nominees (these are just to get you started, you can vote for whoever you like) and make your vote count.
www.is-magazine.com/rca2014 Worth $600++
2D1N Qool Weekend Staycation at The Quincy Hotel for two
DINING Best Restaurant • The Naked Finn • Binomio • Jaan • Cut • Restaurant Andre
Best New Restaurant • Burnt Ends • Morsels • Bincho • Life is Beautiful
Best Café • Department of Caffeine • Common Man • Toby’s Estate • Chye Seng Huat Hardware
Best Local Chef • Shen Tan, Ujong • Willin Low, Wild Rocket • Li Guang Han, Labyrinth • Adrian Ling, Pidgin • Bjorn Shen, Artichoke
Best Brunch • Open Door Policy • Edge, Pan Pacific • PS Café • Ronin • Kith Café • Nassim Hill
Best Hawker Center • Lau Pa Sat • Maxwell • Adam Road • Tiong Bahru Market • Newton
Best Dessert Spot • 2:amdessertbar • Fabulous Baker Boy • Audacious Cakery • Plain Vanilla • Au Chocolat
Best Food Event • World Gourmet Summit • Sustainable Seafood Festival • World Food Fair • Savour • MBS Epicurean Market
NIGHTLIFE Best Bar
• KYO • Fenix Room
Best Party Event • Bacchanalia Brunch Series • Training Shed • Full Steam Ahead • Parallel • Darker than Wax • ZoukOut
• 28HKS • Jigger & Pony • Maison Ikkoku • Tippling Club • Bitters & Love
Best Beach Bar
Best New Bar
• Loof • 1-Altitude • Ku De Ta • Lantern • La Terrazza
• Secret Mermaid • Manhattan • Operation Dagger • Anti:dote • Nutmeg & Clove
Best Bartender • Louis Tan, L’Aiglon • Nick Haas, Cufflink Club • Nicholas Quattroville, The Library • Peter Chua, 28HKS • Tom Hogan, Anti:dote
Best Wine Lounge • Napoleon Food & Wine Bar • Wine Connection Cheese Bar • Vintry at Royal Selangor • Merchants • Vida Vino
Best Microbrewery • Brewerkz • RedDot Brewhouse • Level33 • Archipelago
Best Club • Zouk • Attica • Altimate
• Tanjong Beach Club • Coastes • Bikini Bar
Best Rooftop Bar
LIFESTYLE Best New Pop-Up • Kranji Countryside Farmers Market • The Big Ohm Theory • 9MCM: The Pop-up Marketplace • Made in SG Market • PasarBella & Friends Go to Town • Creatory
Best New Local Store • Mondays Off • The Rooftop • Shop Wonderland • The Redundant Shop • Coast Cycles
Best Furniture Store • Fred Lives Here • CB2 • Galanga living • I wanna go home
Worth $500
Golf Simulator Experience at Urban Fairways (4 to be won) Best Mall • ION Orchard • Suntec City • Vivocity • Orchard Central • Shoppes @ MBS
Best Place to Pick Up I-S • Wine Connection Cheese Bar • Mad for Garlic • Singapore Repertory Theatre • Bazin • Harry’s @ Boat Quay
TRAVEL Best Budget Airline • Air Asia • JetStar • Scoot • Tiger Airways
Best Regional Destination • Thailand • Japan • Indonesia • Malaysia • Korea
Best New Hotel • Sofitel So • Naumi Liora • Amoy Hotel • Westin
Best Attraction • Universal Studios • Marine Life Park • River Safari • Gardens by the Bay • Singapore Cable Car
Best Activity • Gogreen Segway • Singapore Duck Tours • Wave House Sentosa • Singapore Flyer
HEALTH & FITNESS Best Gym Chain • California Fitness • Fitness First • Pure • Virgin Active • True Fitness
Best Pilates Studio • Breathe Pilates • Pilates Fitness • Sky Pilates
Best Yoga Studio • Meraki Yoga • Yoga Inc • True Yoga
Best Boutique Gym • R-evolution • GRIT • Kinetika • Ritual • UFIT Urban Fitness
Best Running Event • Standard Chartered Marathon • Green Corridor Run • Sundown Marathon • Energizer Singapore Night Trail Run
ART & STAGE Best Museum • Singapore Arts Museum • National Museum • ArtScience Museum • Asian Civilizations Museum • Singapore Philatelic Museum
Best Art Gallery • Sundaram Tagore • Opera Gallery • STPI
• Art Plural • Chan Hampe
Best Arts Space • Aliwal Arts Centre • Goodman Arts Centre • The Arts House • The Substation • Esplanade • Gillman Barracks • The Star Performing Arts Centre
Best Music Festival • Hostess Club Weekender • Camp Symmetry • Laneway • Baybeats • 100 Bands Festival
TRENDS & TRENDSETTERS Best local startup • Packnada • Bandwagon • Go Voyagin’ • 22 Experience • Fictive Fingers
Coolest Local App • I-S Now • GrabTaxi • Chope • Sugar • Paktor • Popcorn
Best Creative Networking Event • Green Drinks • Peatix Backstage Pass • DrinkEntrepreneurs • The Hawker Sessions • Startup Grind
COVER STORY weish
david lim
saiyidah aisyah We’ve had our eye on this talented musician since she started playing small gigs. Sure enough, she’s gone on to open for Tegan & Sara and play at F1.
Leader of the first Singaporean expedition to Mount Everest back in 1998, David fought back from a paralyzing nerve disorder to regain much of his mobility and do over 30 more climbs, putting us couch potatoes to shame.
anthony chen Our cinematic boy wonder was the first Singaporean to win the 2013 Camera d’Or at Cannes with Ilo Ilo, and his work for Tiger Beer, featuring Singaporeans who have achieved their dreams against all odds, was a recent viral sensation.
“I wish for Singapore to be a passionate, open-minded and truly inclusive society that values the arts—not for the sake of improving its ‘cultural capital’, but out of a genuine love for, and belief in, the power and necessity of art.”
JANiCE WoNg We’re ever so thankful that Janice left economics to whip up amazing treats at 2am:dessertbar (21A Lorong Liput, 62919727). She was named Asia’s best pastry chef for two years running at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards. “Embrace yourself in your ‘downs’ to appreciate the ‘ups’.”
Catch Ilo Ilo under the stars at Films at the Fort (www.filmsatthefort.com.sg) where it will screen on Aug 6, 5pm. $27.80 from Sistic
One of Singapore’s most decorated (not to mention adorable) homegrown chefs, Justin helms French-Asian restaurant Sky on 57 (57/F Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Ave., 6688 8857). “I’ve been tremendously blessed by Singaporeans all these years.”
Justin will host masterclasses at Marina Bay Sands’ Epicurean Market on Sept 12-14.10 Bayfront Ave., 6688-8868, www.marinabaysands.com/ epicurean-market. $23. ng yi-sheng
william phuan
The super-accomplished Cyril has published (take a deep breath) 12 volumes of poetry, a collection of short stories and a novel; won the National Arts Council’s Young Artist Award in 2005 and the Singapore Literature Prize in 2006; and has read overseas at the Edinburgh International Book Festival and the Byron Bay Writers Festival. “Everything is empty of absolute meaning. Remembering this reduces my stress straightaway.”
I-S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, August 1, 2014
The local startup scene is lucky to have Kristine as one of its advocates and promoters. She founded The List (www. thelist.sg), a portal synthesizing the coolest networking, entrepreneurial, design and tech events in Singapore, and cofounded WalkaboutSG (walkabout.sg), an annual city-wide open house of over 70 companies.
JUSTiN QUEK
“My wish for Singapore is that we can one day truly become a real global city—a home more than a house. We have all of the hardware, but the battle is being fought at the moment for its heart.”
cyril wong
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kristine lauria
The gregarious new director of Singapore Art Museum is a real powerhouse: not only did she steer last year’s Biennale, she’s also helmed new interdisciplinary exhibitions of seriously exciting local works. Susie is making national art venues cool again.
This tech startup whiz started Culture Kitchen (www.culturekitchen.sg), a social project promoting multicultural understanding through food, and pushes for girls’ education in India through her foundation Gyanada.
“The best advice I’ve ever received? Be a better person than you were yesterday.”
Sadly, as is too often the case with good things in this town, Zouk is likely to close at the end of the year due to lease issues. Sign up to the Save Zouk campaign at www.savezouk.com.
susie lingham
Adrianna tan
Radeem was the first Singaporean to ever compete inside the [MMA championship] One FC cage. Sidelined by injuries over the past few years, he made a stunning comeback at the recent ONE FC in May, demolishing Malaysia’s Raymond Tan in a matter of minutes.
You can thank Lincoln Cheng for your latenight Zouk rituals. This Hong Kong native turned Singapore resident took an old river warehouse, pumped in millions of dollars and turned it into one of the city’s oldest and most beloved clubs.
“I sleep in my workout gear so that I don’t have a reason to skip my morning training.”
SAM’s latest exhibition is Sensorium 360. 71 Bras Brasah Rd., 6589 9580. www.singaporeartmuseum.sg
radeem rahman
lincoln cheng
This gutsy rower helped boost women’s sports in Singapore by bringing home a gold medal at the 2013 Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar—Singapore’s first ever individual rowing gold in the history of the competition.
William has been helming The Arts House (1 Old Parliament Ln., 6332-6900) since 2009, one of our go-to places for excellent (and mostly free) literary arts series like the World Lit sessions and the Is The Book Better? movie screenings. “What gets me out of bed every morning is knowing that I have survived another day and that I have another chance to try again.”
ken kwek We’ve always loved a good troublemaker, so Ken gets our vote. His film Sex. Violence.FamilyValues, which was selected for several international film festivals, was banned here. His next project Unlucky Plaza will be released in 2015, barring any trouble with the censors.
This poet and writer is best known for his eye-opening book SQ21: Singapore Queers in the 21st Century— the book was listed as the best non-fiction book of 2006 by The Straits Times. “It’s not enough to love your parents or hate racism or believe in a secular state— you’ve actually gotta go out and act upon those emotions and beliefs.”
kamini ramachandran This storyteller hopes to change the world, one story at a time, having co-founded MoonShadow Stories to revive the lost art of storytelling (yes, for adults too). “The role and contribution of a mother cannot be underestimated.” Catch her next at the upcoming Singapore International Storytelling Festival. Sep 1-9. The Arts House, 1 Old Parliament Ln., 6848-8290, sisf.bookcouncil.sg.
Siew Tuck Wah Aesthetics doctor by day and animal rights advocate by night, he co-founded and is the president of street dog rescue organization Save Our Street Dogs (www.sosd.org), which rehabilitates and rehomes abandoned puppies and dogs.
COVER STORY DANIEL GOH
may ooi
Daniel left his IT job to make sure this city gets an endless supply of craft beer at his beer hawker stalls The Good Beer Company and Smith Street Taps (www.thebeerhawker. tumblr.com). “To find the magic in life, drink coffee in the day, beer in the evening, and whisky at night.”
ho tzu nyen
dean chew
She did the unthinkable: quitting a career in medicine to pursue sports. And it’s paid off: she swam for Singapore in the 1992 Olympics and is now a prominent local MMA fighter. “You can’t inoculate a nation from everything.”
One of the movers and shakers of the local dance music scene, Darker Than Wax’s Dean brings some much-needed variety, soul and local talent to our city’s nightlife scene.
Catch May in action Aug 1 at Rebel Fighting Championship: Battle Royale, Suntec Convention Centre, 1 Raffles Blvd, 6337-2888. www.rebelfightingchampionship.com
Swing by Darker Than Wax’s record launch party on Aug 9, 10:30pm at The Vault, 23 Circular Rd., 6223-9695. www. darkerthanwax.com
sameer sadhu
Genvieve Chua She won the Singapore Young Artist Award in 2012 and is often abroad for solo and group shows, though her horror- and sex-glazed works are often featured in galleries all over town, too.
tania de rozario
One of the local music scene’s most avid advocates (and harshest critics), Sameer promotes and nurtures artists through his company Secret Signal.
“You can’t undo injustice with the tools of injustice. Sometimes systems need to be replaced, not reworked.”
By day, he performs lion dances and Chinese funeral rites. By night, he’s a cocktail whiz at Bar Stories (57A Haji Lane, 6298-0838). Yet the good Muslim boy doesn’t drink—how does he do it? “We can and must continue weaving the amazing cultural tapestry that the previous generations have started. I remember a time when everyone spoke and understood a common local patois.”
Balik Pulau: Stories from Singapore’s Islands, National Museum of Singapore, 93 Stamford Rd., 6332-3659, www.nationalmuseum.sg. Through Aug 10. ivan heng
stella kon
HATCH (KENJIRO HASIDA) A second-generation celebrity sushi chef from Tokyo, Hatch continues the family business at Hashida (Mandarin Gallery, 6733-2144), making omakase magic happen with incredible knife skills, premium seafood and a wicked, selfdeprecating sense of humor.
Formerly an ad woman, Shen trained up as a hawker at Maxwell Food Center and became an important innovator in the Mod Sin scene at (now-defunct) Wok & Barrel and Ujong (#01-10 328 North Bridge Rd., 66356502).
zachariAH elias
Mod Sin became a “thing” in no small part due to the efforts of the chef-owner of Wild Rocket (10A Upper Wilkie Rd, 6339-9448), whom the New York Times named as one of three chefs who have changed Singapore’s culinary scene.
Our very own island expert, the curator of the National Museum’s Balik Pulau exhibition, deserves a lot of credit for the resurgence of interest in Singapore’s offshore islands.
SHEN TAN
Arguably the city’s most prominent feminist and co-founder of women’s art platform EtiquetteSG (www.etiquette.sg), this outspoken poet also won the NAC-SPH Golden Point Award for English Poetry in 2011.
willin low
marcus ng
This visionary filmmaker and video artist has had a string of exhibitions at home and abroad including the Venice Biennale in 2011—his work has even been puchased by the Guggenheim.
Singapore’s stages are full of productions visiting from fancy places. But this veteran playwright’s piece Emily of Emerald Hill has taken local talent to New York, Sydney and Hong Kong.
Start your engines
kanwaljit soin
The flamboyant stage actor Ivan Heng needs no introduction—his theater company W!ld Rice brought us unforgettable classics like Emily of Emerald Hill and Cinderel-la.
Singapore’s gender warrior, this surgeon founded women’s advocacy group AWARE and was the female Nominated Member of Parliament. The UN’s Development Fund for Women gave her a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.
W!ld Rice’s next show is Monkey Goes West, based on the Chinese classic. Nov 21-Dec 13. Victoria Theatre, 11 Empress Place, 6338-4401. www.wildrice.com.sg
SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX GUIDE 2014 The essential guide to drinking, dining, shopping and entertainment for the biggest weekend of the year
Grab your chance to be in our guide. Limited spots — book now! Out a week before race weekend!
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I-S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, August 1, 2014
TRAVEL Send your travel news and promotions to travel@asia-city.com.sg
ESCAPE ROUTES
with Delle Chan
Best Bangkok Tours
THAILAND
Scoot Over Take in the sights and sounds of Bangkok from a different vantage point—with Best Bangkok Tours, tour guides will ferry you around the city on the back of a scooter. There are three itineraries: “The Real Deal” (THB1,500 or $57.72) covers major attractions like Sukhumvit Road, Wat Po and the Chao Phraya River. The “The Drink & Ride Tour” (THB1,500 or $57.72) takes you to five bars in the city. Foodies should go for “The Eat & Ride Tour” (THB3,000 or $115.44), and stuff your face at three different restaurants. Learn more at www.bestbangkoktours.com. LAOS
Trigger Happy
years of experience, and you need to conduct classes for other hotel guests during your stay. In return, you get accommodation, use of amenities and activities, daily breakfasts and airport transfers. The catch (there always is one): the initial program fee is $842. Find out more at www.coach2play.com.
Budget Bookings New reservation portal BornToBunk is a homegrown startup that lets travelers book affordable stays in Asia. It features a curated (read: no dodgy places) portolio of budget to midtiered hotels and guesthouses in 40 cities across the region. The site also features a public blog, where users share personal travel stories—you may win travel credits to be redeemed during your next booking. Check out www.borntobunk.com for more info.
Secret Retreats has a Mystic Mekong Exclusive Escape package (Oct 5-12), SINGAPORE led by Singaporean photographer Andrew Lim, who will dish out pro tips along the way. You begin and end National Day weekend means staycations, and we have rounded in Luang Prabang, and cruise up the up some ritzy options around Mekong River, passing sacred town, most with views of the caves and local villages. fireworks, on our website.at Of course, you’ll stay at is.gd/nationaldaystays2014. luxe properties like Satri House and Muang La Resort. Expect to fork out around USD2,200 ($2,739.84) upwards; visit www.secret-retreats. Speaking of staycations, com for more info. how would like to win one Mystic Mekong Exclusive at The Quincy Hotel? It’s time Escape ASIA for our annual Readers’ Choice Awards, in which you get to choose your favorite hotels, Fitness professionals, here’s how to destinations and airlines and possibly score a free holiday: local startup also win fabulous prizes in return. Visit Coach2play enables fitness www.is-magazine.com/rca2014 to instructors to barter their skills in cast your votes. exchange for a free stay at luxury resorts around Southeast Asia. You have to be a certified with at least two
Sparkly Stays
Exercise Your Right
Pro Trips
Now available for your iPad & Android Tablet The all-new Where® Singapore app —your complete guide to go.
Available for download now! FRIDAY, AUgUST 1, 2014 I-S MAGAZINE
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island
Book now to be in the definitive guide to Singapore’s best restaurants—more than 150 top tables, reviewed and rated by I-S Magazine.
fashion + fitness + tech + home
STYLE NOTES
Our guide to Singapore’s best restaurants is now Pony available in our free tablet app. All About You
• Over 100 reviews with star ratings
Local label Youyou has just launched • Instant reservations powered by its fifth collection for Fall/Winter— • For iPad and and Android tablets it’s by far its most playful and irreverent line yet. silhouettes are loose and roomy this time, with boxy and balloon shapes, and the unexpected placements of welt pockets add a touch of quirkiness to an undecorated piece. It’s a slightly eccentric collection, but many individual pieces can work as workwear staples with a bit of an edge. $59 upwards, from Egg3, #0110/11/12, 33 Erskine Rd., 6345-5200, www.iloveyouyou.com.
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I-S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, August 1, 2014
High Brow singapore’s home-grown eyebrow grooming empire Browhaus now does its own line of make-up. their Precision eyeliner ($17.90) comes in black and brown, washes off easily and sports a felt-tip applicator for extra control. there’s also the HD mascara ($17.90), which comes in black, promises to add a bit of gloss to your lashes and supposedly lasts 24 hours. Available at all outlets, including #02-10, the Cathay, 2 Handy Road, 6737-0335, www.browhaus. com. Crystal Lee and Mrigaa Sethi
New, Actually Local multi-label store Actually has added two new brands to its collection. the first is straight-edge, rocker-y label Long Clothing and its geometric, blackand-white Line Print collection ($89189). We think the Brave Jogger pants (pictured) and their hieroglyphics-ish motif can be rocked on the dance floor as well as at brunch. Actually is also stocking Big Apple-inspired red and mint-colored suede highcuts ($195) by Pony, made in collaboration with tokyo/Harlem sneaker label Atmos. #03-18, orchardgateway, 277 Orchard Rd., 6735-3118, www.facebook.com/ actuallysg
Actually
BUY SPY
Instant Goodness Lomography calls its latest shooting gadget “the world’s most creative instant camera”. Clearly they’re doing something right because 8,000 Kickstarter backers pledged more than a million us dollars to fund this super-cool polaroid-lomo camera hybrid. Lomo’Instant uses the widely available Fujifilm Instax Mini Film, and comes with a built-in wide angle lens, though you can also attach separate fisheye and portrait lenes. Other nifty features include auto and manual flash, unlimited multiple exposures, infinite long exposures and four flash gels for picture perfectness. Did we also mention how awesome it looks? $168 upwards. Preorder yours at www.lomography.com/sg to get it in December (just in time for Christmas, hopefully). Crystal Lee
BROUGHT TO YOU BY SINGAPORE RIVER ONE
Tippling Point Wine and dine by the riverside at these establishments with their versatile vino lists that cater to every newbie or connoisseur.
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3 4 5
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Boomarang Bistro & Bar #01-15 The Quayside, 60 Robertson Quay, 6738-1077, www.boomarang.com.sg The wine: Almost 60 wines from Australia and New Zealand. Nine options by the glass ($13-21). Get the light and lovely 1200 Miles Pinot Noir from Gladstone ($18). The nosh: Don’t miss the peppered kangaroo loin ($30). There’s even a late-night menu of pizzas, seafood baskets and sharing plates.
Enoteca L’Operetta
3
by Tenuta Joseph Hofstatter ($108), from the Germany-bordering Alto Adige. Seven choices by the glass ($16-26) including a Prosecco. The nosh: Classic Italian. Get the risotto with foie gras risotto with radicchio and marsala sauce ($28). 4
Pasta Fresca Da Salvatore 30 Boat Quay, 6532-6283, www.pastafresca.com The wine: Close to 30 bottles, nearly all from Italy. Get a luxurious Amarone Della Valpolicella ($128) or the Barolo from Piemonte ($88). House wines are $8 a glass and $64.50 a carafe. The nosh: Pizzas, pastas and mains like chicken based with egg and Parmesan with a side of spaghetti pomodoro ($27.90). 2
Enoteca L’Operetta
Rubicon Reserve Wines
78/79 Boat Quay, 6438-2482, www.operetta.sg The wine: 44 bottles from the regions of Italy. Try a Gerwurtztraminer
#02-04 Blk. E, Clarke Quay, 3 River Valley Rd., 6837-8012, www. rubiconreservewines. com.sg The wine: More than
100 vinos and spirits all over the world including New Zealand, France and Argentina. Prices vary from under $15 to over $200. They also do special events, like the upcoming Open House at the shop on July 20, from 11am to 5pm The nosh: No nosh. It’s a wine shop.
The Vault
5
The Vault
23 Circular Rd., 6222-5001, www.thevault.com.sg The wine: 12 labels ($70175). Go zesty with the Greywacke Sauvigon Blanc 2011 from New Zealand ($120), or choose from four house wines by the glass ($14). The nosh: We love the raw tuna with marinated watermelon, mentaiko and chilli emulsion ($16)
FRIDAY, August 1, 2014 I‑S MAGAZINE
13
DINING
strait Back
Here's our cheat sheet to three classic Peranakan dishes and where to get them. By Letitia Tandean
Gerang Asam
Asam pedas salted barramundi
Ayam Buah Keluak this spicy chicken dish is cooked with a native Indonesian black nut, buah keluak, that gives it a black tint. It’s a tedious cooking process as the bitter, poisonous fruit needs to be soaked and fermented in order to make it edible. It's then ground into a paste or rempah of candlenuts, turmeric, galangal, lemon grass, belacan and dried chilli, and made into a stew with assam paste juice and shrimp-stuffed buah keluak shell. Where to get it: Housed in a grand black-and-white heritage house, Indocafe (35/35A scotts Rd., 67332656, www.thehouseofindocafe.com) serves this succulent dish drenched in plenty of sauce ($24).
this popular Malacca Nyonya dish can be made with chicken, fish or other meats and has many variations. Most versions have tamarind juice, kaffir lime leaves and a paste of candlenuts, fresh turmeric, galangal, lemongrass, chili and belacan. Where to get it: In Ding Dong’s (23 Ann siang Rd., 65570189, www.dingdong.com.sg) modern take on this dish, chef Jet Lo uses salted barramundi meat ($22). this asam pedas dish has okra and baby eggplant to elevate its texture.
Babi Pongteh this non-spicy but umami-licious braised pork belly dish is flavored with tau cheo (fermented soy beans), light and dark soy sauce and gula melaka. the ingredients are slow-braised to (a heavenly) death, and the end result is hearty but balanced by a sweet-salty sauce. Where to get it: Violet Oon’s Kitchen (881 Bukit timah Rd., 6468-5430, www.violetoonskitchen.com) has a great version with mushrooms and bamboo shoots, flavored with yellowbean paste, cinnamon and cloves ($19).
For more Peranakan dishes and where to find them, visit is.gd/peranakanclassics or download the I‑S magazine app
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I‑S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, August 1, 2014
Ayam buah keluak
Babi pongteh
BROUGHT TO YOU BY SINGAPORE RIVER ONE
NEW AND NOTED with Letitia tandean
Celebrity Gossip We've been hearing some hushed whispers about Michelin-decorated chefs coming to the shoppes @ MBs. Notorious gordon Ramsay is coming in with a local outlet of his London flagship, Bread Street Kitchen, and David Thompson of Nahm fame is bringing casual eatery Long Chim to the space formerly occupied by guy savoy. In the rumor stages at the moment is Jean‑Georges. It's possible we'll be seeing a local outlet of his fine dining empire soon. No confirmation on dates yet, but we couldn’t wait to tell you.
Pop‑Up Take Two After the cancellation of stORIEs: A Pop up Restaurant, Chef stephan Zoisl takes another stab at pop-up dinners with the tried-and-tested Nutopia (http:// nutopia.asia), back for its fourth year with a food-meets-fashion theme (Aug 29‑Sep 7). the 11-course dinner ($198, $298 with booze pairing) focuses on seasonal produce and unusual techniques alongside art pieces by HK’s twisted sisters, singapore’s Carrie K and Raoul and a few others.
Palate Pride Lots of National Day feasts happening. Here are some noteworthy ones: Ku De Ta’s (57/F Marina Bay sands, 1 Bayfront
Ku de Ta
Ave., 6688-7688, www.kudeta.com.sg) wine pairing dinner ($268/person) will do stuff like like hamachi sashimi paired with a French Chablis. Italian restaurant Forlino (#02-06 One Fullerton, 1 Fullerton Rd., 6690-7564, www.forlino.com) has a buffet with specially-created dishes like chilli crab raviolone and tajima wagyu satay. Enoteca L’Operetta (78 Boat Quay, 6438-2482, www.operetta. sg) will do a five-course dinner ($98/ person) that includes wagyu beef carpaccio, beetroot soup with cream of pork belly and linguine with scampi.
Ways to Celebrate National Day on the Singapore River
Dining Democracy Which is singapore's best restaurant? the best hawker centre? the most delectable dessert spot? the sexiest bartender? It's time for I-s Magazine's Readers' Choice Awards, so vote it out, people. to cast your ballot and enter to win some awesome prizes, visit www.is-magazine. com/rca2014. food@asia‑city.com.sg
There's always room for dessert. Book at Singapore’s best restaurants, get instant confirmation. chope.com.sg
OPEN dOOr
D'Bell
The buzz: Modern Indian resto-lounge serving North Indian cuisine opens with an open-concept bar upstairs, adding some much-needed spice to the Chinatown-meets-CBD limbo. The vibe: Not your typical Indian restauran—there's no drapery, carved wood, glass mosaics or bronze statues. Instead there are velvet banquettes, vintage chandeliers, modern chairs and a hint of Indian heritage with ethnic pillows. A quiet respite from the bustling CBD, though the upstairs lounge playing Buddha Bar-esque tunes gets rowdier on weekends. The food: An eclectic mix of North Indian and Western cuisine. tikka masala appears alongside sliders and chocolate brownies next to gulab jamun. Although the restaurant replaces ghee and butter with healthy oils, you can hardly taste the difference. Expect snack-like pappadum cones with veggie relish ($5.80), butter fish cubes with coconut and curry leaves paste ($22) and char-grilled salmon ($24) with asparagus and basmati risotto. their black Amritsari dal ($12) stays true to the way grandma used to make it, even if you do get it with a chilli cheese naan ($8). The drinks: A surprisingly extensive list of wines that start at $68 for a bottle and rare single Malt scotch Whiskys like 12-year old strathisla for $288 to imbibe as you party the night away after dinner. Check out their cocktail list for Indian-inspired concoctions.
Josephine Chia in a series of talks and panel discussions. Tickets are free but reserve them ahead of time through www.ticketmash.com. Aug 2-3. The Arts House, 1 Old Parliament Lane, 63326900. www.theartshouse.com.sg
Brewerkz
Drink made-in-SG beers If you’re partying on National Day, go local with Brewerkz, a Clarke Quay mainstay since 1997 known for exciting beers brewed on site. We like their take on the India Pale Ale and one-off innovations, like beer brewed with red sticky rice following an ancient Chinese recipe. The people-watching is great, too. #01-05/06 Riverside Point, 30 Merchant Rd., 6438-7438, www.brewerkz.com
Go on a fireworks cruise This year, take in the fireworks not from the riverside but from the actual river. Singapore River Explorer is offering a special National Day Fireworks Cruise—60 minutes of sailing and awe-inspiring pyrotechnics. Tickets are $38 per person. Aug 2, 7:30pm. Book on www.riverexplorer.sg
Singapore Pub Crawl
Go pub crawling Long weekends were made for having an extra guilt-free drink or two. The people behind Singapore Pub Crawl are rolling out two special National Day crawls along the river. Opt for the “dry crawl” on Friday, or go crazy with a “wet & wild” version on Saturday night. Aug 8-9. Time and location TBA. 9640-5611. www.singaporepubcrawl.com.sg
Make a declaration of love Celebrate National Day with a Parisian twist. Pretend you’re at the Pont des Art and hook a “lock of love” to a railing by the river. Locks are available free-of-charge from the giant lock-shaped machine between The Central Mall and Riverside Point. Aug 1 onwards. Riverside Point, Merchant Road, 6438-4857. The Central Mall, 6 Eu Tong Sen Street, 6532-9922.
The Arts House
Know your roots Beloved for a decade, The Arts House is also toasting Singapore with a literary flair. In the twoday Full Disclosure: The Singapore Auto/Biography Forum, hear from authors like Asad Latif, Robert Yeo and
Why you’ll be back: they have great lunch sets (from $15) for the spice-loving CBD crowd. Plus it’s refreshing to see this delicious cuisine deviate away from cliché interiors while maintaining a light touch with the food. 43 North Canal Rd., 6536‑4046, www.dbell.sg. Open Mon‑Fri 11.30am‑2.30pm; Mon‑Thu 6‑11pm; Sat 6pm‑midnight. LEtItIA tANDEAN
FRIDAY, August 1, 2014 I‑S MAGAZINE
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DINING
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RESTAURANT REVIEWS Lower East side taqueria HHHHH
Mavalli tiffin Room (MtR) HHHHH
Mexican. 19 East Coast Rd., 6348‑1302, www.lowereastsidesg.com
Vegetarian, South Indian. 438 Serangoon Rd., 6295‑5800. www.mavallitiffinrooms.com
the restaurant’s signage and website proclaims it “Mexican inspired”—a smart move, given how strangely finicky singaporean diners are about the authenticity of Mexican food. unfortunately, though it’s a cute and inviting space with a crowd of smiling east-siders, a meal here turns out to be neither Mexican nor inspired. Classic snacks, like chilli con carne tacos ($18) and our waitress’s favorite, pork carnitas quesadillas ($11) are basic; they tick all the boxes but don’t do anything more. same goes for burritos like the cumin grilled chicken and lime rice ($13) and the squid, octopus and green apple ($15). Despite the brilliant-sounding ingredient combos, these are some of the most watered-down tasting burritos we’ve tried in singapore. the accompanying pots of condiments and salsas ($2.50 per additional serving) are just as lackluster. All that said, it’s a great place for some serious boozing in the neighborhood— beer bars abound in Katong and Joo Chiat, but there aren’t many good specialty liquor places—as Lower East side has a pretty comprehensive tequila, mezcal and cachaça list. there are even tequila and mezcal tasting flights (from $29/trio and up to $61 for the premium pours). their happy hour (until 8pm) isn’t too shabby either: 1-for-1 cava ($19), sangria ($14) and draft beer ($15-16/pint). Once nice and plastered, one can take on braver plates like cuello de pollo (deep fried chicken necks slathered in lime salt, $7) or their level 5 hot sauce taco challenge (eat three tacos in five minutes and they’re on the house) for some good, clean, mouthsearing fun. Meanwhile, sweet-toothed drunks will love the churros ($8), which look off-puttingly phallic but are delicious, all hot and crunchy and dipped in a chocolatey-hazelnutty sauce. so, Lower East side is a nice neighborhood spot, but don't make any pilgrimages for the food. Open Mon‑Fri 11am‑11pm; Sat‑Sun 10am‑midnight. $
Chances are you already have a no-frills, fluorescent-lit dosa (thosai) place that you swear by. so why should you bother with MtR? Well, for starters, the 90 year-old chain—with branches in Bangalore, Dubai and singapore—serves a lesser-known south Indian cuisine from the state of Karnataka, so there are many interesting dishes that you probably haven’t tried before. One is the bisibele bhath ($5), a comforting stew of rice, lentils and vegetables, spiced with sharp asafetida, nutmeg and tamarind pulp. MtR also claims to have invented the semolina-heavy rava idly, a variation of the traditional steamed rice cake, jazzed up here with mustard seeds, curry leaves, et cetera. though the flavor isn’t nearly as intense as the list of ingredients would have you believe, the dish is saved by the glorious dal-like potato curry served on the side. But our favorite dish is the masala dosa ($6). It’s really good here—MtR makes its version with ground up brown and red rice instead of the usual white rice, resulting in a darker color and a complex, hearty flavor. the accompanying chutneys are too mild and the sambhar too brothy, but the dosa itself walks a wonderful line between crispy and fluffy. All in all, there’s enough going on at here to warrant a special visit. And whatever hesitations we have about MtR being a chain are dispelled by the idiosyncrasies (there are different menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner, for example), the personal touch (on our last visit, the uncle brought over extra plates when he noticed we were sharing food) and the cute thimble-like bowls of heady, aromatic ghee (yup!) that come with many of the dishes. Open Tue‑Sun 8:30‑11:30am, 11:30am‑3:30pm, 5:30‑ 10:30pm. $
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I‑S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, August 1, 2014
Ratings H HH HHH HHHH HHHHH
Forget it Only if you're stuck in the neighborhood A pleasant dining experience More than just great food, tell your friends Not to be missed
Price Guide $ Less than $40 $$ $40-$80 $$$ $80-120 $$$$ $120-200 $$$$$ $200 and up
Price per person, including one drink, appetizer, main course and dessert. Prices do not include bottles of wine unless stated. New restaurants are not reviewed within three months of their opening.
Reviews are based on actual visits to the establishments listed, without the knowledge of the restaurants. Reviews are included at the discretion of the editors and are not paid for by the individual restaurants.
Recently reviewed by I-s Char “Other than the two signature pork items, the rest of the food was middling to poor…Even the fried rice was awful.” HHHHH Usman “You’ll almost certainly regret missing out on the surprisingly light dal fry and the almost-fluffy palak paneer.” HHHHH
Read all our reviews at is‑magazine.com/restaurants
Need to know Theater & Arts
Ticketbooth > 6296-2929
The Arts House > 6332-6919 www.theartshouse.com.sg
Esplanade Box Office > 6828-8377 www.esplanade.com
Fort Canning Park > 6332-1302
chart chart the the weeks weeks ahead ahead
www.nparks.gov.sg
Gatecrash > 6100-2005 www.gatecrash.com.sg
National Museum of Singapore > 6332-5642
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
DO This DON'T Miss
Star Struck
This year's Films at the Fort lineup includes The Great Beauty, A Touch of Sin, Her and Ilo Ilo. Watch award-winning movies with gourmet picnic baskets prepared by My Private Chef and Jones the Grocer. Aug 1-10, 7.30pm. Fort Canning Green, Cox Terrace, 6332-1200, www. filmsatthefort.com.sg. $28 from Sistic.
See This
DON'T Miss
Sense & Sensibility
Rock On Party musical Rock of Ages brings back 80s hits like "The Final Countdown", "Wanted Dead or Alive" and "We Built This City" and a story about a small town girl falling for a big time rocker. Aug 6-24, 8pm. Resorts World Theatre, Resorts World Sentosa, 8 Sentosa Gateway, 6577-8888. $85-175 from Sistic.
MUSIC
I-S PICK
concerts
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Alex Goot and Against The Current singer/songwriter/ multi-instrumentalist Alex goot and three-piece pop-rock band Against the Current will be co-headlining their first gig here. Aug 21, 8pm. *sCAPE the ground theatre, 2 Orchard Link, facebook.com/snowbirdproductions. $68-108 from Peatix.
SCENESTEALER steve-O We chat with veteran comedian steve-O—of Jackass fame—about his greatest fears, guilty pleasures and regrets.
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The Gathering with Travis scottish band travis will be headlining the next edition of the gathering. Look forward to hits from their seven albums, including stellar favorites like “side”, “Driftwood” and “Closer”. Aug 1, 8pm. the star Performing Arts Centre, 1 Vista Exchange green, 6636-0055. $58138 from sistic.
Singapore Art Museum's latest interdisciplinary group show Sensorium 360º exhibits regional artists' works centering round the theme of human senses. Through Oct 19. Singapore Art Museum, 71 Bras Basah Rd., 63323222. www.singaporeartmuseum.sg/exhibitions. $10.
Sum yourself up in three words. Dynamic. Hilarious. underestimated.
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Jazz by the Beach Coastes's wellloved series is back with a lineup of performances by local jazz artists the Steve McQueens (Aug 1), Men In Groove (Aug 8), Indigo (Aug 15), Chronicles 5 (Aug 22) and Stephen Francis & Friends (Aug 29). Aug 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 8pm. Coastes, #01-05, 50 Siloso Beach Walk, 6631-8938, www.coastes.com. Free.
You’ve done lots of crazy stunts in your career. What’s by far the most memorable one? For most people, it's probably the toilet full of poop that was catapulted to into the sky with me in it. For me, it was jumping out of an airplane with no parachute into the ocean. You’re obviously a brave soul. But what’s your greatest fear? I have irrational fears. I'm terrified of bungee jumping! Do you prepare a lot before you take to the stage? I have worked very hard for a long time to prepare for the show I will
be doing in singapore, but now that I'm ready there's nothing I need to do right before I get on stage. What’s your guilty pleasure? I always seem to have dessert after meals. I eat too much sugar. And your biggest regret in life? I wasted a lot of time drinking alcohol and doing drugs. Where do you see yourself in ten years’ time? If the next two years work out the way I am planning for them, I'll still be very busy with work ten years from now. Catch Steve-O: Guilty As Charged on Aug 10, 7pm. University Cultural Centre Theatre, National University of Singapore, 50 Kent Ridge Crescent, 6516-2492, www.lacomedylive.com. $78-$148. DELLE CHAN
FRIDAY, August 1, 2014 I-S MAGAZINE
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MUSIC » STAgE » ART » STUFF Email event news to stage@asia-city.com.sg, art@asia-city.com.sg and stuff@asia-city.com.sg
STAgE
I-S PICK
dance
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Martha@... The 1963 Interview Richard Move plays 20th century American dance legend Martha graham, revered by many devotees as the mother of modern dance, in an intriguing recreation of her 1963 interview
with dance critic Walter terry. Aug 21-23, 8pm. sOtA Drama theatre, school of the Arts, 1 Zubir said Dr., 6338-9663, www. sifa.sg. $30-50.
musicals
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The Sound of Music the iconic West End production is finally coming to town. Watch Maria and the seven von trapp children bring beloved tunes like “Do-Re-Mi”, “Edelweiss” and of course, “the sound of Music” to life on stage. Through Aug 10. MasterCard theatres at Marina Bay sands, B1/F the shoppes @ Marina Bay sands, 10 Bayfront Ave., 66888868. $65-780 from sistic.
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Hotpants This musical by Dick Lee is set in the early 1970s, and centers on the journey of three mother-daughter pairs whose lives are turned upside down when they decide to join an interschool Talentime competition. Look forward to catchy pop songs, lovable characters, and of course, hot pants. Aug 14-30, 8pm. Drama Centre Theatre, National Library, 3/F National Library, 100 Victoria St., 9862-8033. $40-70 from Sistic.
theater
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Cloud Messenger this multilingual and interdisciplinary play by Alvin tan and Haresh sharma is in collaboration with artists like Bani Haykal, Brian gothong tan, Jaclyn tan, steve Kwek and design collective Neon tights. Aug 8-9, 8pm; Aug 9, 3pm. Black Box, Drama Centre, #05-01 National Library Building, 100 Victoria st., 6338-5133. $20-25 from www. ticketmash.sg.
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Cavalia the 10th anniversary edition of this circus-inspired production (sometimes described as “Cirque du soleil on horseback”) combines equestrian arts, acrobatics, dance, live music, multimedia and special effects. Yes, there will be real horses cavorting around in an actual big top tent. Aug 12-31. White theatre tent, Bayfront Ave., www.cavalia.net. $58-308 from sistic.
SCENESTEALER Yodogawa technique the Japanese art duo—comprising Hideaki shibata and Kazuya Matsunaga—is known for sculptural pieces comprising almost entirely of garbage. Here, Hideaki tells us about the group’s travels, the nostalgic value of trash and why Japanese art is so unique. Tell us what your group is all about.
Hideaki Shibata and Kazuya Matsunaga
For us art is not exclusive and basically has no boundaries. We like to know everyone everywhere. We started at Yodo River in Osaka and actually there's a lot of homeless there. so we [got] to know them when we were starting to make art pieces. What inspired you to use garbage? We are not from any art school, and we don't have any art education background. But we [loved] art, so we [studied] it [on] our own. We were in school back then, and we had no money, so we started to make artwork from garbage we found in the river. What sort of message are you driving at? We think of it as collecting people's memories. [Pieces of] garbage have nostalgic value, and they hold the memories of their previous owners or consumers. In a way, it's a way to communicate with people because we get to collect their memories and get to know them. At the same time we are also helping the environment because we are making art from consumed material. You travel a lot for your art. Tell us about that.
Wa Shabu Shabu serves only handpicked premium grade Wagyu beef and Japanese pork that are air-flown from selected famous farms in Japan. These thinly sliced meat platters offer their own distinctive tantalizing flavours. The A3 ribloin wagyu from the Miyazaki prefecture (150g @$88) is rich and tender, while the A5 ribloin wagyu from Kagoshima prefecture (150g @$108) has amazing well balanced marbling. The premium Kurobuta & Kagoshima pork offer well balanced tastes and textures of firmness, tenderness and sweetness.
Worth Dining For Wa Shabu Shabu #01-44, Star Vista 1 Vista Exchange Green 138617 T: 6268 9093 MUST TRY: - Promotional A5 Wagyu Set for 2 (300g @ $168) that comes with generous servings of healthy greens and assorted mushrooms. - For variety, the promotional mixed set offers A5 Wagyu & Japanese Premium Pork for 2 (150g each @$128); also comes with generous servings of healthy greens and assorted mushrooms. Complement these set meal with top grade house-pour sake (@$35 - $40 per 350ml carafe) or indulge with a bottle of premium grade sake (@$105 - $168 per 720ml bottle)
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I-S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, August 1, 2014
We travel a lot to make art, like to Indonesia and other countries. We love the cultural exchange. they introduce us to their roots. Like when in Yogyakarta, the locals invited us for a wedding ceremony. they [taught] us how to cook local food and even [cooked] dinner for us. It [was] a very heartwarming experience. What do you think makes the Japanese art scene so unique? Japan has very strong roots in tradition and craftsmanship. Japan is also very modern and well developed. somehow the Japanese art scene married [these] two aspects really well and that's what makes it unique. See the work of Yodogawa Technique and four other contemporary Japanese artists in Sweet Paradox, on display through Aug 11 at Mizuma Gallery, #01-34, 22 Lock Road, Gillman Barracks, 6570-2505. www.mizuma.sg. sAMANtHA DAVID
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Give Me Your Blood and I Will Give You Freedom Performance artist Nikhil Chopra embodies a female Indian freedom fighter in this 50-hour experimental theater piece where viewers can come and go as they please to watch the progress of his white canvas and black ink installation and abstract sequence. Aug 17, 7pm. 72-13 Mohamed sultan Rd., 6737-7213, www.sifa.sg. $35.
ART
I-S PICK
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Aliwal Arts Night Crawl Ahead of the annual Night Festival, this nocturnal event features performances by Malay traditional percussion band NADI singapura, dance classes by Malay dance group DIAN Dancers, vocal workshops by the A Capella society and much more. Plus, there are discounts and promotions at various shops, cafes and bars in the Kampong glam district all night. Aug 15, 6pm. 64350131, www.aliwalartscentre.sg. Free.
Here Nor There Karla Marchesi's solo exhibition illustrates the relationship between nature and the urban environment. Through her observations of Berlin, the monochromatic paintings display a mixture of urban and rural environments with severed tree trunks, foliage and city landscapes. Through Aug 3. Chan Hampe Galleries, #01-20/21 Raffles Hotel, Raffles Hotel Arcade, 328 North Bridge Rd., 6338-1962.
KAYA YANAR
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China Mania: The Global Passion for Porcelain 800-1900 China's porcelain was an early viral sensation, having spawned innumerable imitations since the 800s. this exhibition charts the international spead of porcelain styles, forms and manufacturing technologies across continents and cultures. Aug 2-Dec 14. Asian Civilisations Museum, 1 Empress Place, 6332-7798, www.acm.org.sg. Free.
SPORTS
STUFF
LIVE IN SINGAPORE
KAYA YANAR
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A Certain Sort of Hunger this literary performance, featuring writers like stephanie Dogfoot and tania De Rozario, will reimagine and humanize the female ghost, teasing out the poetic counternarratives and subtexts of the archetypal character. Aug 7, 7:30pm. the substation theatre, 45 Armenian st., 6337-7535, www.substation.org.
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I-S PICK
Mountain Bike Carnival In its eighth year, the biggest mountain bike event in singapore promises to draw enthusiasts from around the region, with an intense eight-hour marathon on top of a carnival. Aug 17, 7am. Lorong Asrama, Mandai, 9690-6867, www.mtb.sg
15 th Aug 2014 (Fri) 7:30pm Jubilee Hall @ Raffles Hotel
$298* (VIP) | $258* (Cat A) $228 (Cat B) | $188 (Cat C) | $88 (Cat CC)
16 th Aug 2014 (Sat) 7pm
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Balik Pulau: Stories from Singapore’s Islands Go back in time to Singapore's early days at this heritage exhibition, which features a series of video interviews, rare archival images and artifacts, specimens of marine life and personal mementos surrounding the city's offshore islands. Through Aug 10. National Museum of Singapore, 93 Stamford Rd., 6332-3659, www. nationalmuseum.sg. Free.
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“WAS GUCKST “WAS GUCKST DUDU?”?”
* Ticket includes cocktail session with Kaya Yanar at the Jubilee Hall Foyer at 6.45pm
I-S PICK
Singapore Selection vs Juventus Football Club Watch some of Singapore's best soccer players take on world-famous Juventus FC, who were last season's Serie A champions, in what will undoubtedly be a thrilling match. Aug 16, 7.30pm. Singapore Sports Hub, 15 Stadium Rd., 63442660. $30-180 from Sportshub.
Best known for comedy show
The Joyden Hall @ Bugis + (Iluma) $238* (VIP) | $198* (Cat A) $128 (Cat B) | $88 (Cat C) * Ticket includes cocktail session with Kaya Yanar at the Joyden Hall Foyer at 6pm
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A Night of Magic at Raffles Last seen performing a double levitation act in RWs's Incanto, illusionist Joe Labero (who's picked up three Merlin awards) promises more death-defying stunts and unbelievable theatrics at his solo show. Aug 8-Oct 28. Raffles Jubilee Hall, Raffles Hotel, 1 Beach Rd., 6337-1886. $60-215 from sistic.
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A Drawing Show Drawing gets serious with this sketch-centric exhibition featuring artists from singapore, Indonesia and thailand. Pop down and catch a two-man sketch-off performance on opening night (Aug 1) or the public talk “Drawing in Contemporary singapore” (Aug 23). Aug 1-Sep 14. Yeo Workshop, #01-01 gillman Barracks, 1 Lock Rd., 6734-5168, www.yeoworkshop.com/exhibitions/a-drawing-show.
Tickets are available at w w w.myticket.com.sg or call 6707 0297 Supporting Partners
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STUFF
Email event news to stuff@asia-city.com.sg
classes & workshops
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Daydreams + Nightmares: Silk Screen Printing Workshops Print your own tote bag with a silk screen at this workshop by Monster gallery. Register by Aug 18 by emailing registration@substation.org. Aug 22-23, 7:30pm, 9:30pm; Aug 29-30, 7:30pm, 9:30pm. the substation gallery, 45 Armenian st., 6337-7535. www.substation.org. $12.
five competition categories to choose from (IPA, lager, ale, Belgian or special), chances to fight for bragging rights abound. Each entry costs $5, must include two 330ml (or larger) bottles of the same beer, and must be submitted to iBrew by Aug 23. Beer enthusiasts can look forward to free-flow craft beers at the event, and even sample select kegs of homebrewers' creations. Through Aug 30. iBrew, #01-195, 354 Clementi Ave. 2, 9002-0705. $5 per entry.
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Portraiture Photography Weekend Courses In conjunction with Annie Leibovitz's exhibition, hone your photography skills with steven Yee's workshops teaching different techniques and approaches to capturing the perfect portrait. Each workshop has a photo critique, theory class and a discussion of Annie Leibovitz's photographs. Bring your own DsLR. Through Oct 19. Artscience Museum, Marina Bay sands, 10 Bayfront Ave., 6688-8826, www.marinabaysands.com/ ArtscienceMuseum. $200.
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competitions
The iBrew Challenge Aspiring craft brewers can enter their sudsy creations in the eighth edition of this homebrewing competition; with
I-S PICK
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Co-op Hot Shots This photography competition celebrates the co-operative spirit of Singapore and is organized by the Singapore National Co-operative Federation (SNCF). Interpret one of five themes: co-operation, self-help, equality, mutual help and care for others. Any photography enthusiast can enter. Through Sep 10. www.facebook.com/ coophotshots. Free.
We are currently accepting applications for the following staff positions:
SALES MANAGER MARKETING EXECUTIVE CUSTOM CONTENT WRITER Only Singaporeans or Permanent Residents need apply
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I-S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, August 1, 2014
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Celebrate National Day at Ku Dé Ta For unrivalled views of the National Day fireworks and aerial flypast, hit up Ku Dé ta. DJ Anand delivers crowd-pleasing tunes while you enjoy the parade from the comfort of the bar. No dress code and age restrictions if you arrive before 9pm. Aug 9, 4:30pm. Ku DÉ tA, 57/F Marina Bay sands, skypark, Marina Bay sands, 1 Bayfront Ave., 6688-7688. $38 one drink included.
SCENE & HEARD with Clara Lim
Big Bang Theory Partying institution Mink (and sister lounge Royal Room) have been taken over by new dance club Bang Bang (g/F Pan Pacific singapore, 7 Raffles Blvd., www.theprivegroup. com.sg) by the Prive group, who also operate mix-and-match restaurant Match at Pan Pac, too.
Get Out the Vote Oscilla
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sales & fairs Beatnique Hosted by Hoopla Cafe and Peonfx, this pop-up fair combines music, crafts and food. Expect handmade leather crafts, photography, artwork, cakes, tarts and vinyl tunes by the likes of stroom Fabriek, Noden Collective and Atelier Lodge all in one bohemian space. there's even a vinyl and bike swap, DJs spinning their vinyl picks, as well as a cake eating competition. Aug 9-10, 2pm. #01-05 Infinite studios, 21 Media Circle, 6778-0051. Free.
Singapore Garden Festival the singapore garden Festival returns this year and is set to impress with a colorful array of eye-catching garden and floral displays. Aug 16-24, 10am. gardens By the Bay, 18 Marina gardens Dr., 64206841, www.singaporegardenfestival. com. $8.
National Anthems Here are two new releases to get excited about. Alt-dance collective Darker Than Wax collaborates with French record label Cascade for new double LP vinyl Feelings in Colour, which you can check out at the launch party (Aug 9, 10:30pm. the Vault, 23 Circular Rd., www. darkerthanwax.com). We also just previewed veteran local band The Observatory’s upcoming sixth album, Oscilla, for which there will be a two-night launch gig (Aug 15 & 16, 8pm. the substation, 45 Armenian st. $15-25). If you can’t wait until then, take a listen and pre-order it on vinyl, CD or limited edition cassette at www. theobservatory.com.sg.
It's that time of the year when we gather up all the chic new places and old grand dames and toss them into the ring for you to judge. Voting for I-s Magazine's Readers' Choice Awards is now open online. You get to decide who mixes the city's best cocktails, whether Zouk is more fun than KYO, if Archipelago brews better beers than Brewerkz and plenty more. go to www.ismagazine.com/rca2014 to fill out your ballot. to thank you for your indispensible services to the city, we will enter you to win fabulous prizes: a staycation at the Quincy Hotel, a golf simulator experience for you and your friends and a few other goodies. clim@asia-city.com.sg
Enjoy a family Set Meal at
FRIDAY, August 1, 2014 I-S MAGAZINE
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NIgHTLIFE » FILM Email event news to nightlife@asia-city.com.sg and film@asia-city.com.sg
NIgHTLIFE
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Dangerously Disco feat. Bottin Italy-based producer/DJ Bottin mixes his retro-futuristic blend of space disco, electronica and deep funk following his critically-praised album Horror Disco with hits like "No static" and "Endless Mother". Aug 2, 10pm. kyo, #B1-02 Keck seng tower, 133 Cecil st., 8299-8735, www. clubkyo.com. $20-25.
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Mr C Founder of Plink Plonk records and ex-frontman for the shamen, the multi-talented DJ/rapper/actor, Mr. C has a cutting-edge house tech style that has been a mainstay for the
dance set with anthems like "Anti sailing" and "Dark Moon". Aug 9, 10pm. kyo, #B1-02 Keck seng tower, 133 Cecil st., 8299-8735, www.clubkyo.com. $20-25.
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Pops of the Top ginette Chittick and Jinmart will be manning the decks for Loof's inaugural monthly. Expect plenty of old school Britpop and indie rock from the duo, who also spin at Zouk and the now-defunct Home Club. Aug 14, 9pm. Loof, #03-07 Odeon towers Extension Rooftop, 331 North Bridge Rd., 9773-9304. Free.
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ZSS Presents: Miss Nine german DJ Miss Nine's EDM beats have graced clubs like Ibiza's
WHY NOT?
Privilege and London's Ministry of sound for almost a decade. she's shared the stage with DJs like Avicii and James Zabiela with chart-toppers like Yoshitoshi Ibiza: Mixed by Miss Nine. Aug 16, 10pm. Zouk, 17 Jiak Kim st., 6738-2988, www.zoukclub. com.sg. $28-33.
FILM
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First Take Watch the future of singaporean film at this monthly screening of new local short films followed by a Q&A session with the filmmakers. the selection of screenings being played this month include a horror-comedy, several documentaries and an animated short. Aug 2, 8pm. the substation theatre, 45 Armenian st., 63377535, www.substation.org. Free.
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Learn more about cable cars
Utter Four shorts by local filmmakers Wee Li Lin, sanif Olek, Don Aravind and Kenny tan, who take inspiration from stories by veteran writers gopal Baratham, Kamaladevi, salihin sulaiman and Lin Jin. Aug 3, 4pm. golden Village VivoCity, 1 Harbourfront Walk, www. sinema.com.sg. $10.
Ever wondered what goes on behind one of singapore’s most iconic attractions? sign up for the Singapore Cable Car Back-of-House Tour (through December 31, singapore Cable Car, Faber Peak, 109 Mount Faber Rd., 63779688)—you’ll get to learn more about the history and heritage, as well as the technical aspects, of singapore’s only cableway. Learn more at www.singaporecablecar.com.sg.
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With your Families & Friends at The King Louis For reservations & events enquiries contact us at Tel : +65 6276 0862
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I-S MAGAZINE FRIDAY, August 1, 2014
Third Person
I
(USA). Directed by Paul Haggis. Starring Liam Neeson, Olivia Wilde, Adrien Brody and Mila Kunis. Now showing.
Director Paul Haggis' latest outing is reminiscent of his previous Academy Awardwinning crime drama Crash, with a sprawling ensemble cast and interweaving narratives. the frame story involves Michael (Liam Neeson), a brilliant but emotionally detached novelist who is in France to work on a new book while carrying on with his young mistress (Olivia Wilde) and engaging in messed up mind games (he makes her streak down the corridor of their posh Paris hotel naked). Michael has a journal where he refers to himself in the third person (groan!) and where fact and fiction become blurred. there's also scott (Adrien Brody), who is in Italy for business and rather unbelievably falls for Monika (Moran Atias), a gypsy whose daughter has been kidnapped. Least engaging of the lot is Julia, a washed up actress (played unconvincingly by Mila Kunis and her saucer eyes), who cannot get it together to reclaim custody of her son from her artist ex-husband (James Franco). the storylines cross occasionally and, with some effort, bleed into each other—all possibly part of that metafictional novel Michael is writing. We felt pretty disengaged from the drama, despite all the turmoil and power-wrangling. Perhaps this is intentional, given the title of the movie. It’s more likely, however, that overthe-top emotional scenarios and stilted lines like “You love love” and “White: the color of truth” are to blame for main characters who don’t feel like real people and Michael’s supposedly revolutionary novel that actually falls flat. still, it’s sort of an ambitious idea and there are plenty of pretty faces and exotic locations to hold your interest. Cheang Ming
LAST WORD freewill astrology
Week of Aug 1 © 2014 Rob Brezsny
LEO (Jul 23-Aug 22): The Earth has been around for almost 4.6 billion years. But according to scientists who study the fossil records, fire didn’t make its first appearance on our planet until 470 million years ago. Only then were there enough land-based plants and oxygen to allow the possibility of fires arising naturally. Do the math and you will see that for 90 percent of the Earth’s history, fire was absent. In evolutionary terms, it’s a newcomer. As I study your astrological omens for the next ten months, I foresee the arrival of an almost equally monumental addition to your life, Leo. You can’t imagine what it is yet, but by this time next year, you won’t fathom how you could have lived without it for so long. VIRGO (Aug 23-Sep 22): In the nights to come, I expect you will dream of creatures like fiery monsters, robot warriors, extraterrestrial ghosts and zombie vampires. But here’s the weird twist: They will be your helpers and friends. They will protect you and fight on your behalf as you defeat your real enemies, who are smiling pretenders wearing white hats. Dreams like this will prepare you well for events in your waking life, where you will get the chance to gain an advantage over fake nice guys who have hurt you or thwarted you. LIBRA (Sep 23-Oct 22): It’s fine if you want to turn the volume all the way up on your charisma and socialize like a party animal. I won’t protest if you gleefully blend business and pleasure as you nurture your web of human connections. But I hope you will also find time to commune with the earth and sky and rivers and winds. Why? You are scheduled to take a big, fun spiritual test in the not-too-distant future. An excellent way to prepare for this rite of passage will be to deepen your relationship with Mother Nature. SCORPIO (Oct 23-Nov 21): You are hereby excused from doing household chores and busywork, Scorpio. Feel free to cancel boring appointments. Avoid tasks that are not sufficiently epic, majestic and fantastic to engage your heroic imagination. As I see it, this is your time to think really big. You have cosmic authorization to give your full intensity to exploring the amazing maze where the treasure is hidden. I urge you to pay attention to your dreams for clues. I encourage you to ignore all fears except the one that evokes your most brilliant courage. Abandon all trivial worries, you curious warrior, as you go in quest of your equivalent of the Holy Grail.
connection with them? Is there anything about their souls or destinies that inspires you as you face your own challenges? Or is your link with them based more on sentimentality and nostalgia? In the near future, I urge you to dig deeper in search of the power they might have to offer you. Proceed on the hypothesis that you have not yet deciphered some of the useful messages you can derive from how they lived their lives. Explore the possibility that their mysteries are relevant to yours. GEMINI (May 21-Jun 20): The prolific American author James Fenimore Cooper (1789-1851) wrote 32 novels. In those pages, he crammed in almost 1,100 quotations from Shakespeare. What motivated such extreme homage? I suspect he regarded Shakespeare as a mentor, and wanted to blend the Bard’s intelligence with his own. I invite you to do something similar, Gemini. What heroes have moved you the most? What teachers have stirred you the deepest? It’s a perfect time to pay tribute in a way that feels self-empowering. I suspect you will benefit from revivifying their influence on you. CANCER (Jun 21-Jul 22): Was there an actual poet named Homer who wrote the ancient Greek epics the Iliad and the Odyssey? Or was “Homer” a fictitious name given to several authors who created those two master works? Whatever the case may be, we know that Homer plagiarized himself. The opening line of Book XI in the Iliad is identical to the opening line of Book V in the Odyssey: “Now Dawn arose from her couch beside the lordly Tithonos, to bear light to the immortals and to mortal men.” So should we be critical of Homer? Nah. Nor will I hold it against you if, in the coming days, you imitate some fine action or brilliant move you did in the past. It was great the first time. I’m sure it will be nearly as great this time, but in a different way.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22-Dec 21): Broadway is one of New York City’s main streets. It runs the length of the island of Manhattan. But hundreds of years ago it was known by the indigenous Lenape people as the Wickquasgeck Trail. It was a passageway that cut through stands of chestnut, poplar and pine trees. Strawberries grew wild in fields along the route. Is there a metaphorical equivalent in your own life, Sagittarius? I think there is: a modest, natural path that you will ultimately build into a major thoroughfare buzzing with activity. Part of you will feel sad at the loss of innocence that results. But mostly you’ll be proud of the visionary strength you will have summoned to create such an important conduit. CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan 19): The heavenly body known as 1986 DA is a near-Earth asteroid that’s 1.4 miles in diameter. It’s packed with 10,000 tons of gold and 100,000 tons of platinum, meaning it’s worth over five trillion dollars. Can we humans get to it and mine its riches? Not yet. That project is beyond our current technology. But one day, I’m sure we will find a way. I’m thinking there’s a smaller-scale version of this scenario in your life, Capricorn. You know about or will soon find out about a source of wealth that’s beyond your grasp. But I’m betting that in the next ten months you will figure out a way to tap into it, and begin the process. AQUARIUS (Jan 20-Feb 18): “I just sort of drifted into it.” According to author Gore Vidal, “That’s almost always the explanation for everything.” But I hope this won’t be true for you anytime soon, Aquarius. You can’t afford to be unconscious or lazy or careless about what you’re getting yourself into. You must formulate a clear, strong intention, and stick to it. I don’t mean that you should be overly cautious or ultra-skeptical. To make the correct decisions, all you have to do is be wide awake and stay in intimate touch with what’s best for you. PISCES (Feb 19-Mar 20): Members of the industrial band Skinny Puppy are upset with the U.S. military. They discovered that an interrogation team at America’s Guantanamo Bay detention camp tortured prisoners by playing their music at deafening volumes for extended periods. That’s why they sent an invoice to the Defense Department for $666,000, and are threatening to sue. Now would be a good time for you to take comparable action, Pisces. Are others distorting your creations or misrepresenting your meaning? Could your reputation benefit from repair? Is there anything you can do to correct people’s misunderstandings about who you are and what you stand for? ARIES (Mar 21-Apr 19): If a farmer plants the same crop in the same field year after year, the earth’s nutrients get exhausted. For instance, lettuce sucks up a lot of nitrogen. It’s better to plant beans or peas in that location the next season, since they add nitrogen back into the soil. Meanwhile, lettuce will do well in the field where the beans or peas grew last time. This strategy is called crop rotation. I nominate it as your operative metaphor for the next ten months, Aries. Your creative output will be abundant if you keep sowing each new “crop” in a fertile situation where it is most likely to thrive.
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TAURUS (Apr 20-May 20): Maybe your grandparents are dead, or maybe they’re still alive. Whatever the case may be, do you have a meaningful or interesting
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