SG Magazine, Jun 5

w w w. s g n o w. s g | 2 0 1 5 M PA S W e b s i t e o f t h e Ye a r

Your FREE independent guide to the next two weeks

Go for gold!

SG MAGAZINE | ISSUE #679 | JUN 5, 2015 since 1995

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS

what’s on what’s new what matters

The SEA Games kick off in Singapore on June 5, and one of the events is the traditional sport of sepaktakraw.

See SPORT , page 10, for more details.

DIGITAL

INTERVIEW

DINING

TRAVEL

Cameras For Your Holiday

From Prison to Poetry

MeatLiquor is Here

Asia’s Middle Earth

page 3

Proceed at your own risk 18 drinks

Craft Beer Galore 8 art

11 neighborhood

Last Chance Shows

What’s Hot in City Hall

9 Ways the Great Singapore Sale is Like the Theme Park in Jurassic World 1 It’s about convincing thousands of tourists to visit

a tiny, tropical island.

2 Its business model is making money by resurrecting

things from seasons past.

12 cityscape

14 tech

Pink Dot

Cameras for Every Vacation

3 It looks like wondrous fun, but it’s potentially

really perilous.

4 It’s always trying to rope in more and more visitors

16 food

18 new restaurant

The Meat at MeatLiquor

Long Chim

with bigger attractions every year.

5 Despite all the promises, it always involves a stampede.

6 It’s no place for unsupervised children.

7 Just when you think the coast is clear, you spot

20 travel

22 interview

The Wonders of Kazakhstan

From Prison to Poetry

something lurking in the shadows/checkout aisle.

8 It ends with you needing to be evacuated for your

own good.

9 You might just leave with some heroic stories to tell

your friends.

Who's in charge?

Publisher & General Manager Ric Stockfis countrymanager@asia-city.com.sg Editorial Managing Editor Mrigaa Sethi editor@asia-city.com.sg

Senior Manager, Media & Marketing Shernan Plameras Executives, Media & Marketing Lee Wee Keong, Swathi Raj

Dining Editor Letitia Tandean Design Associate Art Director Carmen Louise Ho Senior Designer Fishy Toh Designer Celeste Chooi Content Sales & Custom Media Content Director Clara Lim customcontent@asia-city.com.sg

Where to find us!

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

Advertising Director, Business Development Intan Agustina advertising@asia-city.com.sg

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

Finance Finance Manager Lynn Legaspi finance@asia-city.com.sg Group Directors Chief Executive Officer Gretchen Worth gworth@asia‑city.co.th Group Digital Director Greg Duncan gduncan@asia‑city.com.sg On the cover Photography by John Heng

Who are we?

Marketing & Admin Assistant Geraldine Tan

Published every two weeks (with daily updates at sgnow.sg), SG (previously I-S) delivers honest, independent and irreverent coverage of the Singapore lifestyle scene. We’ve been recommending what to do and where to go here for 20 years—and we’ve never been more excited about the city than we are right now.

The Asia City Media Group

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High-end, hawker and everything inbetween: news on the drink and dining scene

Hot topics, local initiatives and ideas for making Singapore even better

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SG Magazine is published 24 times a year by Asia City Publishing Pte Ltd., 211 Henderson Road, #07‑02, Singapore 159552.

Tel: 65‑6323‑2512 • Fax: 65‑6323‑2779. Copyright ©2015 Asia City Publishing Pte Ltd. The titles “SG Magazine”, “I-S Magazine” and their associated logos or devices, and the content of SG Magazine and I-S Magazine are the property of Asia City Publishing Pte Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited. SG 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 SG 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) 174/12/2014

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Awesome events, cool new places, the very best of the next two weeks

daily updates on news and events

sgnow.sg

hot new spots, exciting giveaways

facebook.com/sgnow.sg

last word Irreverent interviews with people who make Singapore great

We hope you like what you see: email us at editorial@asia-city.com.sg to let us know how we’re doing.

latest news and trends

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FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015 SG MAGAZINE

3

up front

Our biweekly study of the city’s burgeoning (and dying) trends

WE NASA

HOT OR NOT

Singapore’s latest news, numbers and dramas at a glance

SG

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

Commitment to green spaces

Hot: The great outdoors

The National Parks Board has announced The Park Prescription Study, comprising two major research initiatives about the benefits of greenery and gardening, one at NUS and one at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

NParks hopes that by 2030, 90% of homes in Singapore will be within a 10-minute walk to a park. Last month, NParks also announced that Jurong Lake Gardens would be its National Gardens in the west and is seeking input from the public about the future design of the park.

Not: The heat

Scott Beale

Everyone is packing their baskets and mats and heading out for opera at the Botanic Gardens (see bottom right) and ballet at Fort Canning (Jun 12-21). Stop complaining about the heat (we’re an equatorial country) and buy your tickets already.

Hot: Loving Singapore

NUMEROLOGY

$12 million

650

1,000

$28,000

Amount pledged by banking giant DBS to increase recreational activities around Marina Bay, including an expansion to their free sailboats service.

Number of charter buses and rental cars that will be used to ferry athletes and officials at the SEA Games starting today.

Square meters of solar panels recently installed at Bugis Junction

Cost of a two-room HDB “smart home” for first-time buyers going on sale in Punggol.

Smart features include pneumatic waste conveyance and a chance to opportunity to monitor power consumption in real time.

Not: Hating sports

The city is awash with red banners cheering local athletes at the SEA Games (see page 6) starting this week, and even if you have never cared about sailing, table tennis or silat, chances are you will tune in to follow Singapore’s heroes.

$30,000 Annual savings on electricity as a result of the installation

Pixabay

Sources: The Straits Times, Channel News Asia

NEWS FROM SGNOW.SG

Opera in the Park is back at the Botanic Gardens Hot: Marriage, kids

Not: Being a sad spinster

Results from a recent survey by the Social and Family Development Ministry suggest that nuclear families are down 7% and that divorced and single people are less happy. So if you were thinking of defying tradition and doing something interesting with your life, don’t.

Get this issue to go.

BE GOOD

Join the army The Salvation Army moved from Upper Serangoon Road last year and is now officially launching a newer, bigger Family Hub (356 Tanglin Rd., 6718-2513). The new center will have tennis courts, computer workshops and other services. But that doesn’t mean they don’t still need your used clothes, furniture and other goods. The center also has a processing center for items that end up at its thrift store. For more info, visit www.salvationarmy.org/singapore

Free eBook download from issuu.com/sg_magazine (or sign up at sgnow.sg/newsletters to never miss an issue)

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

CAREERS We are currently accepting applications for the following positions:

• Sales Executive • Digital News Reporter email us at: jobs@asia-city.com.sg

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SG MAGAZINE FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015

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Last month, the Ministry of Home Affairs infamously said that it would not be taking in any of the Rohingya and Bangladeshi refugees who had been stranded for months at sea, citing “limited land” as the reason. The Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics criticized Singapore, saying it should demonstrate more leadership in humanitarian crises. On May 23, Singapore has given $200,000 to an ASEAN-led coalition providing relief to the refugees.

Opera in the Park

Let’s pretend it’s not actually swelteringly hot and head outdoors for fun cultural activities. One of the more exciting ones we might actually rally for is the annual Opera in the Park that’s set to take place on Jun 6 at Botanic Garden’s Shaw Foundation Symphony.

Currently in its eighth edition, this year’s theme is “Opera in movies and film”.

And it will see the Singapore Lyric Opera performing classic tunes from popular movies like Superman Returns, Tom & Jerry, Les Miserables and Life is Beautiful just to name a few. Wong Kah Chun will be leading the orchestra, and singers taking to the stage include the sopranos Mary Burke and Seol-Ah Yoo and baritone, Daegyun Jeong, all from Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore.

The performance will take place at 6pm at the Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage.

More at www.singaporeopera.com.sg.

Website of the Year MPAS 2015

S I N G A P O R E ’ S H OTT E ST L I F E ST Y L E N E W S

FIRST AND EXCLUSIVE

SEASON 3 PREMIERES JUNE 17

©THE CW NETWORK, LLC.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

WEDNESDAYS 9:00PM

Ch 318

To subscribe to Singtel TV, call 1609 or visit singteltv.com.sg today!

Ch 509

To subscribe to StarHub TV, visit www.starhub.com/tv

now

The essential guide to what’s on in Singapore Send your events news to art@asia-city.com.sg, nightlife@asia-city.com.sg, stage@asia-city.com.sg

THROUGH

Jun 16

Singapore plays host to the games for the fourth time with 36 sports and 402 events taking place over 12 days. There will be sports like canoeing, equestrian, fencing, sailing, taekwondo, silat and wushu. There are also non-ticketed events around Bedok Reservoir. Jun 5-16. Various venues, www.seagames2015.com. $5-20.

See SPORT, page 10 for more information.

OUTING Ubin Day

Lim Yong Teck

SPORTS SEA Games

SAT

THROUGH

Jun 13

Jun 7

Put on your walking shoes and take a ride on the ferry. Set up with the aim of allowing visitors to experience life on the island, Ubin Day (actually a whole weekend) includes nature walks, cycling tours, kayaking and lots of food, including a Malay briyani feast on Saturday. Jun 13-14. Pulau Ubin, ubinday2015.blogspot.sg

DRINK Negroni Week

Drink Negronis for a good cause as the worldwide Negroni Week comes to town. You still have a couple of days to check out the versions at Secret Mermaid, Ah Sam Cold Drink Stall, Bitters and Love, Manhattan, Tess Bar & Kitchen and the newly renamed Ce La Vi (formerly Ku De Ta), where 10% of proceeds go to Nepal earthquake relief. Through Jun 7. Various venues, www.negroniweek.com

TUE

Jun 9

WED

SAT

MUSIC A Triple Bill: Charlie Lim, Inch, The Great Spy Experiment

Jun 10

Jun 6

Three popular local music acts perform in Singapore’s first triple bill by an indie music collective. Helmed by local record label House of Riot, the lineup includes soulful crooner Charlie Lim, edgy singer-songwriter Inch Chua and veteran indie rock band The Great Spy Experiment. Jun 6, 7:30pm.

Esplanade Concert Hall, 1 Esplanade Dr., 6828-8377, www. facebook.com/houseofriot. $50 from Sistic.

STAGE Singapore Comedy Fringe

ART Breakfast at 8, Jungle at 9

The home-grown comedy festival is back for a second year. Highlights include a Best of British program on opening night and local faves like Kumar and three others in a special Sons of Singapore showcase on Jun 10. Jun 9-13, DBS Arts Centre, 20 Merabau Rd., www.sgcomedyfringe. com. Tickets start at $38 from Sistic.

The inaugural show at the brand new Objectifs space (they’re moving next week from Arab Street to a cute yellow chapel on Middle Road) comes courtesy of artist Ernest Goh. The photo series and interactive installation draw both name and inspiration from a letter by Darwin’s great rival Wallace about his daily routine collecting and cataloguing wildlife in Singapore. Opening reception is on Jun 10, 7-10pm and the show runs from Jun 11-Jul 19. Objectifs, 155 Middle Rd., www.objectifs.com.sg. Free

THROUGH

OUTING Scent Walk

Jun 10

Kate McLean, the leading designer of city scent maps, conducts her first-ever walk in Asia.

Connect with the city on a sensorial level as you detect various scents around Singapore. Through Jun 10.

Various venues, www.allsense.com. sg. Free.

WED

SAT

PICNIC Pink Dot

Jun 17

Jun 13

The wholesome LGBT outing is back, with more live performances, DJ sets, rousing speeches, pink outfits and lots of picnic baskets. Jun 13. Hong Lim Park, North Canal Rd., pinkdot.sg. Free. See Cityscape, page 12 for more.

ART The O.P.E.N.

In the lead up to the Singapore International Arts Festival (SIFA), this pre-festival event consists of screenings, performances and exhibitions. Highlights include an augmented reality tour of Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, 15 international films and photography exhibition “The Arrival of Vasco da Gama” (pictured) by prominent Indian artist Pushpamala N. Jun 17-Jul 4. Various venues, www.sifa.sg. $45 from Sistic.

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SG MAGAZINE FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015

now ART 6 shows to catch before they close

MUSIC

classical Opera in the Park The Singapore Lyric Opera celebrates its 25th anniversary with an homage to opera in movies. The ensemble will play songs from films like Superman Returns, Life is Beautiful, and childhood favorites like Tom & Jerry and Bugs Bunny cartoons. Jun 6, 6pm. Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage, Singapore Botanic Gardens, 1 Cluny Rd., 6471-7361, www.singaporeopera.com.sg. Free.

The Sew-Out Show Singapore-born, America-based photographer Kevin Ou collaborated with local design firm The General Company to show 14 photographs of colored lights printed onto fabric. Pick your favorite pieces and transform them into accessories like tote bags and bowties. Through Jun 8.

TCC The Connoisseur Concerto, 51 Circular Rd., 6533-9033, www.art-management.com. Free.

Hugging The Shore Singaporean artist Simryn Gill presents her first major solo exhibition in Southeast Asia after living all around the world. Featuring three photographic series: Standing Still, Dalam and May 2006, as well as new work, Like Leaves. Through Jun 14. NTU Centre for Contemporary Arts Singapore, Gillman Barracks, 43 Malan Rd., www.gillmanbarracks.com. Free.

ConTribute: Radiohead There are over 10 artists performing at this showcase. Expect local and regional acts like The Scumbags, Jonathan Meur, Don Shiau and Thaves. Jun 6, 8pm. Artistry, 17 Jalan Pinang, 6298-2420, www.facebook.com/artistryspace.

Free.

STAGE

The Colors of Singapore: A 3-Dimensional Artwork Exhibition New York-based artist Charles Fazzino depicts famous Singapore landmarks like Marina Bay Sands and the Merlion through a series of vibrant and detailed 3D pop art silkscreen graphics. Through Jun 14. Bruno Gallery, #01-03 Tanglin Place, 91 Tanglin Rd., 6733-0283, www. brunoartgroup.com. Free.

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SG MAGAZINE FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015

Looping Loopholes A group exhibition by three Indonesian artists with all-video and sound work aims to give viewers the experience of being in a never-ending “looping loophole”. Through Jun 15. Yeo Workshop, #01-01 Gillman Barracks, 1 Lock Rd., 6734-5168, www. yeoworkshop.com. Free.

Timely Manoeuvres 13 well-known international artists like Dutch artist Carla Klein, New York-based Japanese artiste Mariko Mori and Chinese contemporary artist Ai Wei Wei show their latest sculptures, installations and paintings.

Through Jun 20. Ikkan Art Gallery, G/F-#01-05 Artspace@Helutrans, Tanjong Pagar Distripark, 39 Keppel Rd., 6681-6490, www.ikkan-art.com. Free.

An inflatable theater is coming to the heartlands

gigs

Fete de la Musique Celebrated in 108 countries worldwide, World Music Day comes to our shores by way of gypsy jazz tunes by Gypsyfication. There are also crepes, wines and cider all night long. Jun 20, 6pm. O Comptoir, 79 Circular Rd., 65347645, www.facebook.com/OComptoirSG. Free.

A Universal Truth American-born, Spain-based painter Monica Dixon makes her Singapore debut and presents deceptively simple landscapes that explore the difference between who we are and what we are. Through Jun 10.

Barnadas Huang Gallery, 22 Dempsey Rd., 6635-4707, www.barnadashuang.com. Free.

NEWS FROM SGNOW.SG

musicals Dim Sum Dollies - The History of Singapore Part 1 A re-run of their wildly successful The History of Singapore series, the female trio walks audiences through Singapore’s past through song and dance. Expect flashbacks involving Sang Nila Utama, opium dens and brothels. Through Jun 21. Esplanade Theatre, 1 Esplanade Dr., 6828-8377, www. dreamacademy.com.sg. $48-148 from Sistic.

Singapura: The Musical This musical about Singapore’s struggles pre-independence in the ‘50s and ‘60s provides a peek into the lives of ordinary people during trying times, set against musical numbers and featuring an international cast.

Through Jun 28. Capitol Theatre, Capitol Building, 11 Stamford Rd., 6602-9900, www. singapurathemusical.com. $65-175 from Eventclique.

theater Tribes Centered around a deaf boy named Billy (played by Thomas Pang), this play examines belonging, family and the limitations of communication. Written by Nina Raine, it won the 2012 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play. Through Jun 7. Drama Centre Theatre, National Library, 3/F National Library, 100 Victoria St., 6837-8400. $40-70 from Sistic.

GoLi

The island’s first inflatable roving theater is a seven-meter tall structure that will travel around town bringing theater to the masses.

Its first stop will be in Serangoon, right beside NEX shopping center (23 Serangoon Central). Thought up by the folks at Drama Box (www.dramabox. org), the theater, named GoLi, will kick off with Scenes: Forum Theater, a festival running from Jul 3-10.

Part of the festival includes free performances from Jul 3-5: local play Trick or Threat! (Jul 3, 8pm), which tells the story of a bomb scare on the MRT train, and UK’s Mind The Gap, which will be staging Real Voices Real Lives (Jul 4, 7pm).

An organizer at Drama Box told us that GoLi is also going to be a part of Singapore International Arts Festival in September and will head to Toa Payoh.

More details to come.

Website of the Year MPAS 2015

S I N G A P O R E ’ S H OTT E ST L I F E ST Y L E N E W S

ANNOUNCEMENT NOTICE OF INTENDED MARRIAGE I, Beatrice Esther Woodbridge, single, of 29-03 Gilstead Two, Singapore, 309061, intend to marry Guy Alexander Mark Huckvale, bachelor, of 29-03 Gilstead Two, Singapore, 309061, at Comune di Cortona, Piazza della Repubblica, 52044 Cortona, Italyy, on 29 August 2015.

Any person knowing of any lawful impediment to the marriage should without delay notify the Consular Section, British High Commission Singapore, 100 Tanglin Road, Singapore 247919.

CHIJMES Salsa Sundays_IS Magazine_FA.pdf

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3:50 PM

ADVERTORIAL

Nippon Niches The Singapore River isn’t Ippatsuya Taro just for after-work drinks and pub crawls. For your next Japanese food craving, from sushi and ramen to yakitori and teppanyaki, there are tons of great restaurants and cafes to check out.

Ippatsuya Taro Circular Road has many Japanese restaurants, but this one comes out on top for its quick and easy lunch. Marked with a red awning, this simple restaurant focuses on bento boxes and yakitori. It’s a tachinomi-style yakitori joint, which means it’s all about quick but good bites like tsukune and liver yaki sets.

36 Circular Rd., 6532-0050, www.facebook.com/Ippatsu.taro

Neko No Niwa

Kappo Yorito A Robertson Quay stalwart, this restaurant has many options: sushi, sashimi, grilled dishes and omakase, where you leave it up to the chef to decide the best dishes of the day. Don’t skip the boiled egg oden soup though.

Everything is handmade and there are at least eight varieties of oden to choose from. #01-14A The Quayside, 60 Robertson Quay, 6733-6315

Neko No Niwa While this may not be a Japanese restaurant exactly, it takes cues from the famous Japanese cat cafes that dot Tokyo. As Singapore’s first cat cafe, it is home to 13 rescue cats. Here you get to nibble on treats like cheesecakes, tarts and smoothies, or chill out with a cup of Japanese tea while you cuddle with furry felines.

2/F 54A Boat Quay, 6536-5319, www.facebook.com/CatCafeNekonoNiwa

Clarke Quay Central

Tomo Izakaya While Clarke Quay is home to all kinds of hip and happening bars, this izakaya stays true to its Japanese pub roots. You’ll find lots of small dishes from hot pot and kushiyaki beef skewers with Japanese citrus to rice balls and comforting udon noodles with miso soup.

Plus, it’s a great supper option as the restaurant serves a wide variety of sake, wines and spirits like Japanese whiskey. #01-04 Clarke Quay, 3A River Valley Rd., 6333-0100, www.tomoizakaya.com

Clarke Quay Central Located across Clarke Quay, this mall has tons of Japanese offerings, too. There are cafes like Azabu Sabo Hokkaido Ice Cream (#01-46) specializing in Hokkaido-style gelato, as well as Italian-Japanese restaurant Ma Maison (#03-96) where you can get your fix of mentaiko pasta. Don’t miss Shabu Sai (#02-17), a classic Japanese hotpot with thinly-sliced meats.

6 Eu Tong Sen St., 6532-9922, www.clarkequaycentral.com.sg

Tomo Izakaya

BROUGHT TO YOU BY SINGAPORE RIVER ONE

FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015 SG MAGAZINE

9

now SPORT Traditional Asian events at the SEA Games

this American DJ duo topped the charts when they released their single “#SELFIE”. They’ll be playing their signature indie, progressive and pop blend. Jun 5, 10pm. Zouk, 17 Jiak Kim St., 6738-2988, www. zoukclub.com. $28-33.

FOOD & DRINK SG PICK

RBMA x Feedback Asia presents Nosaj Thing It’s been six years since they took the DJ scene by storm. They’ll be rebooting their signature sound of funky swing and booming space-y sounds with new tracks like “Don’t Mind Me” featuring Whoarei. Jun 6, 8pm. Kyo, #B1-02 Keck Seng Tower, 133 Cecil St., 6225-6001, www.clubkyo.com. $30-50 from Peatix.

Epicurean Journeys Two different chefs host two pop-up dinners.

Manjit Gill (Jun 5) of India’s Bukhara and Dum Pukht (the latter a top performer for India on the San Pellegrino list) will cook his signature Indian dishes, while Jesse Llapitan (Jun 6) of San Francisco’s The Garden Court presents his take of farm-to-table plates. Through Jun 6, 7:30pm.

Museum of Contemporary Arts, 27A Loewen Rd., 6479-6622, www.epicureanjourneys.sg. $248.

O Batignolles En Fete The French bistro and wine bar celebrates its third anniversary with a week-long party involving lots of Champagne and wine deals, a French wine fair and free samples of wine and cheese. Jun 8-14.

O Batignolles, 2 Gemmill Lane, 6438-3913, www. obatignolles.com. Free.

Our cover photo this issue is a multipleexposure shot of sepaktakraw by Singaporean photographer John Heng, who also takes pictures for some of city’s top restaurants. Here he tells us about what it’s like doing both.

How did you take the image on the cover?

It is shot for an International Sepaktakraw Federation Super Series event held in Kuala Lumpur, in-camera using the Multiple Exposure function. Basically, it allows the same frame to be exposed in as many separate shots as you set it—in this case, three.

What events are you excited about at this year’s SEA Games?

It’ll be interesting to see how the new female table tennis team performs after a few old guards have left. And it’s always fun to see your old mates in sailing—I used to train with the national training squad—do well. It would be awesome to win on home soil.

Sports and food photography are so different: one is all about capturing motion and the other is practically still life with lots of styling.

The obvious answer to having a specialist title is to be able to charge a premium to clients.

But I want to have my cake and eat it! In fact, I want to have lots of cakes. Why should society stigmatize creatives to be able to do one thing and one style only. Van Gogh painted in a very particular brush stroke, but he didn’t just do stars specifically, or flowers, or strictly cobbled street cafes. The same applies to photography.

Photography is a medium, like painting. How an artist sees each subject then translates it via the medium he chooses should be what defines him.

What piece of photography equipment could you personally not live without?

My Leica R 60mm macro lens. It’s been with me right from the start. And more practically— camera batteries. I once turned up for a shoot with everything, except for the batteries.

The SEA Games’ sepaktakraw events run Jun 6-15 at Singapore Expo Hall 1. Other traditional Asian sports include Pencak Silat (Jun 10-14, Singapore Expo Hall 2), traditional boat racing (Jun 6-7, Marina Bay) and Wushu (Jun 6-8, Singapore Expo Hall 2). For full details, visit www.seagames2015.sg.

John Heng’s food and sports photography work is at www.facebook.com/john.heng. daphotographer. MRIGAA SETHI

w w w. s g n o w. s g | 2 0 1 5 M PA S W e b s i t e o f t h e Ye a r

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS

what’s on what’s new what matters

Voilah!

The annual French festival is back with wine and cheese tastings, arts and music showcases and French language film screenings. There’s also a special tribute to the world of The Little Prince ahead of the film’s release. Through Jun 21. Various venues. www.voilah.sg.

outings The Deep Over 40 rare deep sea creatures in perfectly preserved crystalline forms will be on display in Southeast Asia for the first time, along with images of sea fauna, living fossils and other rare creatures, many photographed for the very first time. More details here. Jun 6-Oct 18. ArtScience Museum, Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Ave., 6688-8826, www.marinabaysands.com.

Bam! Head over after Pink Dot to this pop-up with great food, cold drinks and DJs Bobby, DD-J Akito and Shigeki. Plus, it’s located right across the park. Jun 13, 7:30pm. Mad Men Attic Bar, #03-02 11 North Canal Rd., 6222-3529, www.tmmcollective.com. Free.

NIGHTLIFE SG PICK

The SEA Games kick off in Singapore on June 5, and one of the events is the traditional sport of sepaktakraw.

See SPORT , page 10, for more details.

DIGITAL

INTERVIEW

DINING

TRAVEL

Cameras For Your Holiday

From Prison to Poetry

MeatLiquor is Here

Asia’s Middle Earth

They look so good, we’ve even started hanging them on our walls.

To suggest someone we should feature or to partner with us on this initiative, email editor@asia-city.com.sg 10

SG MAGAZINE FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015

indie screenings SG PICK

International Music Day Two Charlie Chaplin classics will be screened free alongside musicians from Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music who will be providing the soundtrack. Afterwards, Sing’theatre re-interprets hits from musicals like Grease, Mamma Mia and Mary Poppins and will be followed by a screening of recent jazz film, Whiplash. Jun 20, 4:30pm. Alliance Francaise de Singapour, 1 Sarkies Rd., 6737-8422. $10.

Industrial Soundtrack for the Urban Decay The film traces the origin of industrial music across Europe and America’s avant garde scene with nods to industry heavyweights like Sheffield’s Dada-inspired band Cabaret Voltaire, Throbbing Gristle and awardwinning soundtrack composer Graeme Revell of SPK. After the screening, Berlin-based duo Oake spins post-punk and dark experimental music. Jun 20, 8pm. Kilo, #02-01, 66 Kampong Bugis, 6467-3987. $35-38.

movie highlights Insidious: Chapter 3 The prequel to the horror movie franchise follows the story of how the gifted psychic, Elise Rainier, uses her ability to contact the dead in order to help a teenage girl haunted by a supernatural entity. Opens Jun 4.

The Road Within A young and isolated man living with Tourette’s suddenly gets thrown back into society when his mother passes away and his absent fathers sends him away to avoid any disruption to his political campaign.

Stars Robbie Sheehan, Dev Patel, Zoe Kravitz and Kyra Sedgwick. Opens Jun 4.

Cover Up SG Magazine covers celebrate local artists, photographers and illustrators and their remarkable depictions of Singapore.

FILM

festivals

Go for gold!

since 1995

Tropical Explosion with Miles Cleret The British DJ spins tropical, fuzz funk and psychedelic rock tunes alongside DJs Kusto, Kostas and Bhayology who will take turns to spin Latin American, African and Caribbean beats. Jun 12, 8pm. SingJazz Club, 2/F The Sultan, 101 Jalan Sultan, 8139-9059. $15 from Eventbrite.

HAPPENINGS

Your FREE independent guide to the next two weeks

SG MAGAZINE | ISSUE #679 | JUN 5, 2015

Dance x Lush 99.5FM present Kaleidoscope The debut of this monthly showcase has local and international acts. On the lineup is Singaporean vinyl-collector and DJ Reiki, who will spin nu-skool electronic beats, as well as popular local duo, .gif who are known for their indie-electronic sound. Jun 13, 10pm. Velvet Underground, 17 Jiak Kim St., 67382988, www.zoukclub.com. $28-33.

The French Cartel This three-day party involves all-French DJs: Crayon, Cezaire and Kartell all of whom spin melodic French house music. Crayon kicks things off at The Powder Room, Cezaire takes over the dance floors at Loof and Kartell rounds things off with a bash at Tanjong Beach Club. Jun 12-14.

Various venues. Free.

Zouk Soundsystem presents The Chainsmokers One of the hottest dance music acts of the moment,

Jurassic World The popular dinosaur franchise reboots for the fourth film that’s set 22 years after the events of Jurassic Park. Isla Nublar is now a fully-functioning park that encounters the wrath of genetically modified dinosaurs. Opens Jun 11.

Survivor Pierce Brosnan, Milla Jovovich and Emma Thompson star in an action-packed thriller where a Foreign Service Officer in London is forced to go on the run after she is framed for crimes she didn’t commit.

Opens Jun 18.

Run as a Team

ADVERTORIAL

NEIGHBORHOOD GUIDE 4 reasons to head back to City Hall this weekend

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It’s a relay run, so grab three of your running buddies, classmates or colleagues and split the 42.195km four ways.

That’s just 10.5km per person —totally doable. Register as a corporate team, an open BR team, a running club (all AS BA SA H $290 per team) or a student RD team ($210 per team).

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Bragging rights for a quarter of the work

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Chijmes

We love City Hall for the pretty buildings, but there are tons of exciting things going on there lately, from a new shopping mall to heritage sites. It may be time to head down again.

Because there are new things to do at the Capitol The newly-revamped heritage buildings Stamford House and 1 Capitol Theatre (Capitol Building, 11 Stamford Rd., www.capitolsingapore.com) have just been given a new lease of life. The restored Art Deco theater has kept its pretty facade and is now showing Singapura: The Musical (www.singapurathemusical.com) through Jun 28 (see page 8). The building has also got a modern, all-glass mall extension, Capitol Piazza, packed with new brands like luxe nomadic label Napapijri (#01-26), Finnish design giant Marimekko (#02-17/18) and local designer Max Tan’s (#02-15) flagship store.

There’s tons more heritage...and shellfish...and quests The majestic new 2 National Gallery (1 St. Andrew’s Rd., www.nationalgallery.sg) is opening later this year. While there’s still no art in the restored old Supreme Court and City Hall buildings, together they’re meant to be bigger than the Musee d’Orsay. On the food front, oyster and rooftop bar Aura by the folks behind il Lido is set to open there, too, along with other F&B and shopping outlets. Happening every weekend, however, is 3 Escape from The Conspiracy (2/F Singapore Art Museum, 71 Bras Basah Rd., www.realegame.sg) from Jun 6-28. It’s an island-wide Escape Room game where you receive clues to finish challenges and uncover the conspiracy behind a group trying to jeopardize Singapore’s economy. Tickets are $22-150 from Peatix.

Chijmes has great new bars Now that 4 Chijmes (30 Victoria St., 6337-7810) is done with its facelift, there are tons of places to eat and drink after work. Famed local bar Harry’s (#01-14) has taken over the space formerly occupied by Japanese bar and izakaya Here & There and has a pretty glass-enclosed semi-alfresco space. There’s also The Irish Times (#B1-08) which will open this month and show tons of sports over cold pints of beer. Also slated to make its comeback in June is pan-Asian favorite Coriander Leaf. We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed that their Valrhona chocolate cake returns as well.

There’s a cool outdoor dance performance The Singapore Dance Theatre is back with the 20th edition of 5 Ballet Under the Stars (Fort Canning Green, Cox Terrace, www.singaporedancetheatre.com) from Jun 12-14 & 19-21. They’ll be performing a medley of works including Double Contrasts by Choo-San Goh and Concerto Barocco and Serenade by George Balanchine. Tickets start at $27 from Sistic. Letitia Tandean

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4 reasons to register for the ASICS City Relay

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Great weather and vibe

A night race that flags off at 6pm and closes at midnight, ASICS City Relay skips the worst of the daytime heat and traffic. Plus, the race is taking place around the shiny Singapore Sports Hub, with riverside views to boot.

It’s a race… and a party

Zouk’s resident DJs will provide inspirational soundtrack to your moment of glory.

At 7:30pm, it’ll be DJ Matthew doing hip hop tunes, followed by a house set at 9:30pm with DJ Zushan.

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It’s a great way to see the Kallang riverside The race’s 10.5km loop begins and ends at the Singapore Sports Hub and takes you through Tanjong Rhu Promenade, Central Grove, Gardens by the Bay and Tanjong Rhu Bridge.

ASICS City Relay takes place Aug 1 at 6pm.

Register your team at

cityrelay.com.sg and

get training.

Stay in the Loop Subscribe to our weekly newsletter at sgnow.sg/newsletters

BROUGHT TO YOU BY SPECTRUM WORLDWIDE EVENTS

FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015 SG MAGAZINE

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city scape

EVENTS

The Road to Pink Dot A look back at the past 12 months. By Mrigaa Sethi Pink Dot

Loo Zihan

Q&A What’s your take on Pink Dot?

Kumar

RIOT!

T

he annual LGBT picnic Pink Dot takes place June 13 at Hong Lim Park, with celebrity ambassadors, a snazzy campaign video by hotshot filmmaker Boo Junfeng and more corporate sponsors than ever before—new to the list are Bloomberg, Twitter and Cathay Organisation. But how are LGBT issues in Singapore actually faring outside the wholesome annual picnic celebration? We scour the news between this Pink Dot and the last to see.

July 8, 2014 Two weeks after Pink Dot 2014, the National Library Board withdrew two children’s books with positive depictions of samesex (penguin) parents and families.

After a vigorous two-week debate, the NLB ultimately moved the books to the adult section.

March 27, 2015 Singapore’s most famous drag queen, Kumar, began a short run of his show Kumar Stands Up for Singapore at the pro-establishment, mainstream Esplanade.

He did one last year as well, but this one was rated R18.

July 25, 2014 Several news outlets reported that a 2012 issue of the X-Men comic depicting a same-sex wedding was allowed on the shelves in Singapore, even though in March, an issue of Archie comics was removed for the same reason. The MDA said that the content guidelines “allow for the balanced depictions of same-sex relationships if they do not encourage or promote alternative lifestyles.”

February 14, 2015 Local drag queens Becca d’Bus, Noris, Mona Kee Kee, Galaxia Birch launched RIOT! (www. riotdragshow.com). While local gay bars have the occasional drag show, this is the island’s first proper drag revue, with new acts joining often. RIOT! takes place the second Saturday of every month.

April 22, 2015 Despite backlash from gay netizens and their allies, the local office of liberal Swedish brand IKEA said it would go ahead with its support of anti-gay pastor Lawrence Khong’s magic show, saying “all individuals have a right to their opinions and personal choices, including the freedom to choose their preferred entertainment.”

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SG MAGAZINE FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015

September 2014 Sisters June and Alicia Chua turned an old shophouse attic into a shelter for transgender women in Singapore who have been turned away by their families. Since its inception, people have donated generously to The T Project (www.facebook.com/thetprojectsg) and the three people who live there.

January 14, 2015 Queer Singaporean performer Loo Zihan restaged the famous “Completely With/out Character” monologue by Paddy Chew (aka the first Singaporean to die of AIDS) at the M1 Fringe Festival.

May 7, 2015 The Inter-University LGBT Network (interunilgbt.wix.com/interunilgbt) announced its launch at the Pink Dot press conference. The first-of-its-kind network comprises five independent student groups from Yale-NUS College, Tembusu College, NUS, SMU and NTU and aims to provide “safer, more inclusive school communities.”

October 29, 2014 Singapore’s Court of Appeals ruled that Section 377A of the Penal Code, which criminalizes consensual gay sex is not unconstitutional. The judgment stated that this was a matter for legislative bodies, rather than the Court of Appeals.

May 22, 2015 The pop song “We’re All Different Yet the Same”

by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, which features a lesbian wedding and kiss, was reportedly banned in Singapore. A couple of days later, the MDA clarified its position, telling The Straits Times that “Ms Tsai’s song is allowed in Singapore with the requisite age rating and consumer advice.”

”It’s a day to show everyone the presence of the transgender community in Singapore, which is often not heard, much less seen. We are always visible yet invisible at the same time.” —June Chua, founder of The T Project “When I stand with 26,000 people who support me and my friends, I know the world can be a better place. When I stand with 26,000 people on a sweaty Saturday evening, and it smells like people use deodorant, I know the world is a better place.” —Becca d’Bus, drag performer “Through Pink Dot, we hope to inspire empathy and inclusivity in more Singaporeans. The penguin-gate incident was a moving example, as it was driven primarily by straight allies rather than the LGBT community.” —Paerin Choa, Pink Dot spokesperson “While it provides the platform to drive discourse on LGBT issues, it could also look at presenting the diversity and nuances of sexuality and gender identity to sensitize fellow Singaporeans. Gender identity and trans issues could have more visibility moving forward.” —Sam Ho, blogger

The latest openings and hottest trends in Singapore

island

FASHION The Eagle Has Landed VivoCity has just expanded its basement with a slew of new brands like Aeropostale and Rabeanco. But most exciting is the arrival of apparel brand American Eagle Outfitters, which will open on Jun 19—no more ordering online or asking your friends to bring back clothes for you. You’ll be able to try on their summery, grungychic, graphic-heavy line for yourself.

Here’s hoping for an opening sale.

EVENT Flea Bitten

GSS is in full swing, but there are some more indie shopping occasions afoot as well. Vintage flea market Great Singapore Garage Sale takes place at the gardens area of the Goodman Arts Centre (#01-01 Blk A, 90 Goodman Rd., 6342-5790) on Jun 14. Earlier this year, goods included African handicrafts, handmade candles and old-school typewriters. This time they’re promising 30 stalls of jewelry, paper crafts and even items made with old Japanese kimonos. Hopefully it won’t rain.

BEAUTY Swing from the Trees

Super-luxe Japanese hair studio Branche has opened its first salon at the new Capitol Piazza (#B1-33, 13 Stamford Rd., 6702-3036, www.branche.sg) with just three workstations (plus a VIP room, of course) and in-house products. Their mani-pedis are done by Caplus Nail, which has worked with the likes of Marc by Marc Jacobs. But we’d go just for the refreshments: the coffee is handroasted by a Japanese roaster, and the Japanese fruit teas have edible leaves and dried fruit. Hair services come with a 14-day guarantee.

NEW COLLECTION Hip Hijabs

Uniqlo teams up with UK-based Hana Tajima for a modest wear collection available from Jul 3. It features relaxed but modern pieces like pants ($49.90), skirts ($49.90), long dresses ($49.90-59.90) and hijab headscarves ($24.90-29.90) with AIRism material that’s thin and absorbs moisture. The campaign features Malaysian jazz singer Yuna, fashionista Yaya Zahir and YouTuber Elizabeth Tan. The Uniqlo x Hana Tajima line is exclusive to the 313@Somerset outlet (#03-27-34 313@Somerset, 313 Orchard Rd., 6834-4073, www.uniqlo.com/sg)

FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015 SG MAGAZINE

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island Canon PowerShot G7X

TECH

Vacation: Camping trips

Holiday Snaps

Specs: 20.2MP back-illuminated sensor, ISO 100-12,800, 3” 180-degrees tilt LCD screen, Wi-Fi support Price: $799 Why: Providing DSLR-quality images in a compact body, Canon’s PowerShot G7x is a top choice for the less-camera-savvy vacationers.

We like the added features, such as the three-stop image stabilization function which, produces sharp photos even in low light or moving environments. The LCD screen can also be tilted up to face outwards, which should prove useful for group selfies.

Pick the camera that best suits your vacation plans.

By Kanin Srimaneekulroj Nikon Df

Where: Challenger, 6/F Funan DigitaLife Mall, 109 North Bridge Rd., 6339-9008, www.challenger.sg

Vacation: Road-trips Specs: 16MP full-frame CMOS sensor, ISO 100-25,600, 3.2” LCD screen Price: $3,699 (body only) Why: Yes, it’s basically a frankenstein model of existing Nikon DSLRs wrapped in a retro body, but it means business.

It takes seriously good photos, aided by the same sensor as the vastly more expensive D4.

Where: Courts Orchard, 228 Orchard Rd., 1800-222-6868, www.courts.com.sg

GoPro Hero4 Black

Olympus TG860

Vacation: Adventure trips

Vacation: Beach escape

Specs: 12MP still-photo sensor, 4K-compatible video capture, 30 fps burst rate, Wi-Fi & Bluetooth support

Specs: 16MP BSI CMOS sensor, 15-meter water protection, Wi-Fi and GPS support

Price: $700 Why: GoPro cameras are ideal for adrenaline junkies. If your vacation plans include surfing, cycling, sky-diving or bungee jumping, then this is the camera for you. Its sturdy build and waterproof body make it perfect for extreme activities. With various custom camera mounts, you can stick the GoPro on your head, the front of your bike, or even strap it to a drone and have it follow you around.

Why: If you’re planning to hit the beaches and are looking for a powerful yet portable camera, this is a good option. The 15-meter water protection coupled with the wide aperture f/3.5 lens means that underwater photos are as clear as they’ll ever be for cameras of this price range, addressing the common problem of compressed frame sizes underwater. The camera also has a 180-degree flip screen that makes shooting from any angle easier, as well as a full-HD video mode.

Why: Parisilk, 15A Lorong Liput, Holland Village, 6466-6002, www.parisilk.com

Where: Courts Orchard

CAMERA APPS

Want to make the most of your phone camera? Download these.

AFTERLIGHT ($1.28) This is an iPhoneographer’s dream come true. There’s a built-in photo capture that allows adjustments of focus and exposure.

Editing-wise, on top of over 30 filters, you can adjust for brightness, contrast, shadows and tones, all with a simple horizontal slider. Available for iOS and Android.

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Price: $398

SG MAGAZINE FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015

PAPER CAMERA (Free) Paper Camera offers a host of photo filters such as cartoon, sketch, comic book, noir and neon. You can also adjust other attributes like contrast and brightness, making Paper Camera one of the more interesting photo editors to play around with. Available for iOS and Android.

POCKET LIGHT METER (Free) This excellent freebie is a must for anyone into analog photography who doesn’t want to shell out $200 for a proper light meter.

Simply focus your phone on what you want to shoot, and it’ll tell you the optimum ISO, shutter speed and exposure setting.

Available for iOS and Android.

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Bringing you the hottest lifestyle news, latest openings and the most exciting events in Singapore.

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eats

The inside scoop on Singapore’s drink and dining scene

HOT SPOT Nice To Meat You The much-awaited Singapore offshoot of the popular London burger and cocktail joint is finally open. The bearded boys at MeatLiquor SIN (99 Duxton Rd., 6221-5343, www. meatliquor.com) serve up messy, finger-licking plates of sambal fries with fried egg and onions, as well as burgers stuffed with deep-fried chicken slathered in sambal sauce. While it doesn’t take reservations for less than eight diners, the place serves food and drinks until 2am and doesn’t close until 3am, which makes it a great after-hours supper spot.

SAKE Raising the Bar

Popular ramen chain Ippudo’s latest concept is perfect for sake lovers. Bar Ippudo (#04-22/23 Shaw Centre, 1 Scotts Rd., 6235-0522, www.barippudo.com) stocks over 70 bottles from 20 different Japanese sake breweries, with glasses starting at $5. While the 12-seater bar still serves ramen, there’s a list of bar food to pair with sake. You’ll find small dishes like oden (from $2), a clear soup with white radish and boiled eggs, as well as yaki miso ($4) and shoyu cream cheese ($6). The space also doubles as a bottle shop, so you can get sake to-go.

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SG MAGAZINE FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015

BARBECUE Grill from Ipanema

This modern Brazilian barbecue restaurant, or churrascaria, deviates from the traditional places where passadores come to your table to carve out hunks of meat on to your plate. Instead, Braseiro (333 Joo Chiat Rd., 9119-1158, www.braseiro-sg.com) has got a simple ordering system where you choose one type of meat as your main. For $19.90, you get a choice of flame-grilled beef skewers, beef steak or roast chicken served with unlimited sides of fries and garden salad. All you have to worry about is ordering a drink, like caipirinha, wine or calva, to go with your meal.

ICE CREAM The Nehs Have It

Artichoke’s owner and chef Bjorn Shen has been on a roll recently. Neh Neh Pop (161 Middle Rd.), which specializes in ice cream and popsicles, is one of his most recent projects. It’s housed in a little stall right outside Artichoke and sells flavors like Baklava ($7), an orange blossom ice cream with baklava chunks and a dark chocolate dip; Mango Sticky Rice ($7) made with coconut rice pudding ice cream, fresh mango and toasted coconut flakes; and Strawberry Pockie ($7), a strawberry ripple ice cream with white chocolate and strawberry Pocky sticks.

eats

DRINK

Get Crafty

Hop Heads

The best craft beer places to open in the past year.

By Letitia Tandean TAP Craft Beer Bar

B

eerfest (June 25-28) is coming up later this month, but actually it’s been an amazing twelve months for craft beer in Singapore. What was once a trend is now a firmly established requirement for foodies. Here are six places that have opened in the past year.

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Draft & Craft

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Druggists

This Southern California-inspired bar and restaurant serves comfort food like grilled cheese sandwiches, but the star of the show is the selection of American craft beers (from $12) from breweries like Anderson Valley and Stone.

31 Circular Rd., 9852-5877, www.draftandcraft.sg

This bustling space stocks 23 rotating taps from places like To-Ol and Mikkeller. The minimalist space with mismatched furniture may not have the best acoustics, but the brews are interesting and come in small taster glasses (from $6), too. They have good snacks, like lotus root chips with chili padi ($6) and chicken wontons ($8).

119 Tyrwhitt Rd., www.facebook.com/DruggistsSG

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HopHeads

The range at this alfresco bar at the bottom of Innotel Hotel goes from approachable bottles (from $12) of Crabbie’s strawberry & lime ginger ale to the more advanced Tricerahops Double IPA. It also has two rotating taps and beer-drinking bites like fries and burgers.

11 Penang Ln., 9119-6980, www.facebook.com/ HopHeadsSingapore

4

Nickeldime Drafthouse

5

TAP Craft Beer Bar

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Wildfire

A beer-centric bistro, everything on the menu incorporates suds, like the beer-glazed pancakes. The industrial, diner-like place has 15 rotating taps of craft brews and select bottles from Lost Coast and Buxton (from $12). #01-26 273 Thomson Rd., 6256-0261, www.nickeldimedrafthouse.com

The newest craft beer bar on our list has got an impressive 20 rotating taps (from $18) from breweries like Modern Times and Strand, as well as 80 bottled beers. We love that they’re the first place in town stocking Hong Kong Beer Company. #01-K1 Galleria, Capitol Piazza, 15 Stamford Rd., 6224-1607, www.tapthat.com.sg

Although the burgers are the star of the show, they’re supported by the impressive craft beer list that doesn’t break the bank. Expect brews from Birra del Borgo and Deschutes starting at $9 during happy hour, happening until end June.

26 Evans Rd., 6734-2080, www.wildfire.com.sg

Draft & Craft

Nickeldime Drafthouse

NEW RESTAURANT Long Chim The buzz: San Pellegrino-lauded chef David Thompson brings his studied take on Thai street food to Singapore’s swanky casino.

The vibe: It’s a cavernous space tucked away above the casino floors, and while the decor is sexy, with street food motifs in Wong Kar Waiesque lushness juxtaposed with unfussy wooden tables, we wish it was cozy like the food they’re serving.

The food: There are meaty snacks to start, like Southern-style spiced beef skewers ($15) and prawns with toasted coconut on betel leaves ($10).

If you’re craving classics, the green papaya salad ($17) and the beef green curry with roti ($22) are both flavorful and pack a spicier punch. But as far as Thai restaurants go, nothing is too spicy here.

The drinks: The cocktails (all $18) here are solid accompaniments to the food. Get the tropical 555 (pronounced “hahaha” in Thai) with Cocchi, gin, coriander, lemon and cucumber; or the Golden Leg with Cognac, green chartreuse, lemongrass, ginger and Champagne.

Why you’ll be back: It’s got a pedigree and the price points are reasonable.

#L2-02 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Ave., 6688-7299, www.longchim.com.sg.

Open daily 6pm-midnight. LETITIA TANDEAN

Foodie gossip For weekly updates on new restaurants, bars and events on The Dish. Sign up at sgnow.sg/newsletters

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SG MAGAZINE FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015

(Admission ticket includes FREE entry to over 20 activities)

Enjoy Yummy food from pasarbella.

You will be spoilt for choice!

get tickets at www.superfundae.com.sg

Aviva

Pack includes: tote bag, umbrella, picnic mat, fun tattoos & much more!

FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015 SG MAGAZINE

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escapes

Holidays, hotels and insider travel news

DESTINATION GUIDE

Steppe Up Exploring the natural wonders of Kazakhstan.

Text and photo by Wan Nam

Charyn Canyon

Homestay at Kolsay Lake

Beshbarmak at Zheti Kazyna

Kaindy Lake

Green Market

T

hough it’s been separated from the Soviet Union for more than 20 years, Kazakhstan still has a rather austere reputation. But the world’s largest land-locked country has many treasures to offer new visitors, from the stunning mountain ranges to the shy but friendly locals.

DO

SEE

Walk around the Old Capital

Altyn Emel National Park

Astana may be the capital, but Almaty is still the jewel of Kazakhstan. Situated amid the snowy southeastern mountaintops, the sprawling city is the most populous part of the country. Its name translates to “father of apples” and there’s a month-long Apple Fest, a city-wide party that happens every September. The city’s skyline may look modern, but there are plenty of remnants of its Soviet past. One is The Ascension Cathedral, the second-tallest wooden Russian Orthodox cathedral in the world, which houses dazzling golden ornaments.

The cathedral is located in Panfilov Park, a prime spot for meeting locals, too.

STAY There are a number of luxury hotel chains like the Ritz-Carlton Kazakhstan (Esentai Tower, 77/7 Al-Farabi Avenue, +772 73328888. bit.ly/1FIPgd8) next to the Esentai Mall. Prices start at $598 per night. For a more budget option, try Iris Hotel (176 Furmanova St., +772 7399-0033. www. irishotel.kz), which offers rooms at $120 per night and is right by the metro.

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SG MAGAZINE FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015

For some outdoor exercise, visit Altyn Emel National Park. Situated about 260km from Almaty, you’ll need to take a three-hour 4WD ride to reach it. Here, you’ll see both desert and steppe grassland, as well as gazelles, wild donkeys, falcons and eagles.

The area is also famed for the so-called “singing” sand dunes.

Charyn Canyon

Often described as a “mini-Grand Canyon,” this 300 meter-deep chasm is home to the “Valley of Castles,” where layers of pinkorange rock have formed over millions of years. You can stay overnight in a yurt (an ancient shelter used by Central Asian nomads) but be prepared for a cold night under the sea of stars.

Kolsai Lakes

These beautiful alpine lakes are a two-hour rough ride from Altyn Emel National Park, and stand 2,000 meters above sea level.

The first lake can be reached by car, but the other two require trekking or horseback riding and take a full day’s travel to and fro. Even in summer, temperatures hover around 10 degrees Celsius so pack warm.

Horse rentals can be arranged at the nearby village, Saty.

Kaindy Lake

The lake looks like something out of a fairy tale. Surrounded by pine forests, it has a beautiful emerald color with submerged trees peeking out. There are a number of homestays at Saty village where you can enjoy the local way of life.

EAT Zheti Kazyna

Foodies are in for a treat. Zheti Kazyna (Abylay Khana Ave., 58A, Almaty, +772 7273-2587, bit.ly/1va8C7Y) is a fine place for traditional Kazakh and other Central Asian food. Don’t miss Beshbarmak, one of the national dishes, consisting of flat noodles in soup topped with horse or goat meat.

Alasha Restaurant

Alasha Restaurant (Abylay Khana Ave., 58A, Almaty, +772 7273-2587, www. alasha.kz/en) doesn’t serve traditional Kazakh food, but serves tangy dishes from neighboring Uzbekistan with live music and dance each night. The signature dish is called plov, or pilaf, rice cooked with meat and grated carrots and onions.

ESSENTIALS GETTING THERE There are no direct flights from Singapore but you can fly to Bangkok where there are direct flights from Bangkok to Almaty daily.

Air Astana (www.airastana.com) has the lowest fares starting from $1,217 for a round-trip.

GETTING AROUND Joining a tour is the best option as roads and public transportation are sketchy at best. To get out-of-town, we recommend Almaty City Tour (eng.city-tour.kz) which offers an English-speaking guide and expert driver. The six-day Golden Ring of Zhetisu package is US$1,655 (about $2,153) for two people.

VISA It’s pretty tricky if you want to do it all by yourself. Your best bet is a travel agent, who can arrange a Single Entry Tourist Visa for around US$40 (about $53). Visit bit. ly/1tDdXiI. EXCHANGE RATE 1 Singapore Dollar (SGD) = 139 Kazakhstani Tenge (KZT)

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THAILAND Sleek Silom

Upmarket local hotel brand Amara recently opened a stylish new property in the heart of Bangkok. Located just off bustling Silom Road in Surawong, the chic 250-room Amara Bangkok (180/1 Surawong Rd., +66 2 021-8888, www. bangkok.amarahotels.com) takes design cues from contemporary Thai culture with guestrooms decorated with artwork by local artists. There’s also a 24-hour mini bar boutique that sells nibbles at convenience stores prices, a rooftop infinity pool and a 24-hour sky gym.

Room rates start at $143 a night.

TAIWAN Scoot to Taiwan

If you’re planning a trip to Taiwan (and not just Taipei), you can now fly direct to Kaohsiung, with budget carrier Scoot (www.flyscoot.com). It recently announced three new weekly flights from Singapore to Kaohsiung, starting Jul 9.

It will be the first airline offering direct flights from Singapore to Kaohsiung— Taiwan’s second most popular destination after Taipei. One-way tickets start at $88 and are valid through May 2016.

VIETNAM Seaside Sprint

The Laguna Lang Co Marathon (www. lagunalangcomarathon.com) happening on Oct 24-25 will be taking place in central Vietnam’s Lang Co, known for its stretches of untouched beaches. Organized by sister resorts Banyan Tree and Angsana, there

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MYANMAR City Roar

Yangon’s cool quotient continues to rise with the opening of two trendy new bars. The Blind Tiger (Nawaday St., +95 (1) 38-8488, www.blindtiger-yangon. com) combines a tapas restaurant, mixology lounge and an art gallery inside a restored old building. There are cocktails like Spiked Tiger, a mix of tequila, fresh lime juice, chili and coriander ($8.50). The other is the industrial-chic Fahrenheit (38 Bogyoke Rd., www.facebook.com/FahrenheitYGN) serving up craft cocktails and Mexican fusion bar bites.

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Goa Take a Break

Head to Alila Diwa Goa (48/10 Village Majorda, +91 83 2274-6800, www. alilahotels.com) for your next detox holiday. Located on the picturesque Majorda Beach in South Goa, they’ve got a new Ayurvedic Detox Detour retreat for overworked city folks, with pranic healing, hypnotherapy, yoga, massages, meditation sessions and cooking classes. Pick from three-, five-, seven-, 10- and 14-night options.

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FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015 SG MAGAZINE

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last word

Deborah Emmanuel Singapore’s spoken word poetry scene has never been more vibrant and Deborah Emmanuel is one of its stars.

Here, the TEDx alum, singer and educator tells Mrigaa Sethi about how a year in prison got her writing, why she doesn’t really belong anywhere and how patriotism is a weird concept.

Many people think poetry is frivolous and has no purpose in the greater scheme of things.

There’s a certain amount of romanticism that needs to swill around in your head in order for you to even entertain being a poet.

The priorities for a lot of Singaporeans are to live comfortably and be able to afford luxuries.

Luxury for a lot of my friends is going on a holiday, buying a better car, those kinds of things.

But there is a change coming. We’re filling up at the slams. Poetry, especially spoken word, is changing into accessible art.

Putting out my first book [When I Giggle In My Sleep] hasn’t filled me with as much pride as I thought it would because I don’t think that my poems are good enough unsupported by my actual performance.

I wrote my first poem when I was 12. It was in rhyme, about these girls at school I didn’t get along with. I’ve kept a journal since I was a child. I wrote on and off through most of my developmental years.

Then when I was 19, I went to prison for a year. I wasn’t allowed to write. But the whole time I was building words in my head. I got to write a letter twice a month, and that would be my release.

I went to prison for doing drugs. I spent six months in the actual building, and six months in a Christian halfway house. And I met all of these women that I never thought I would meet and understood so much more about the marginalized populations that exist in this country.

THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID

I met so many women who were prostitutes at 1617 years old, mothers at 16-17 years old. I met loan sharks, I met KTV hostesses. For a lot of these people, being in prison was not a shocker because they knew lots of people who had been to prison. For me, it was.

I was like: I have a good education, my family did actually provide for me, we used to have a BMW! It was a gradual understanding that we are not as different as we think we are.

When I came out, I went to polytechnic.

I was burdened with everything that had happened. I needed a way to talk about it, but I didn’t know how.

It felt like pressure inside me.

After coming out of prison, I went to India, to the place where my grandparents came from, a city called Nagercoil, to see if I belonged there. But it was just me and a bunch of people from India.

I figured out that I don’t really belong anywhere, just where I am at the time.

I longed to be a Chinese girl with straight hair.

A lecturer said, “Have you ever heard of this poetry slam? Maybe you should try it.” She sent me for this workshop with Chris Mooney-Singh and Savinder Kaur who run Word Forward, and I wrote my first poem about prison. I competed in a slam held at Singapore Polytechnic, and I tied for first place with my friend Juanita. And I thought, “Maybe I should keep doing this.”

There were so many things I wanted to say, that I never had a way to say, and never had a way to say beautifully, until I discovered spoken word.

One of the major things that has crafted me is the fact that I’ve always felt like an other.

I know there are oppressive systems in Singapore, but there are many systems that allow for opportunity, too.

You play according to the rules of the game you’re in. I do think there are unjust laws, and we can eventually change them if we try. But there is very much a functioning system here, compared to lots of other places.

I have an issue with patriotism. It’s really just that you’re born in a place, and you deal with the place and try and be the best person you can be, even though that place may mold you or have some say in your development.

It’s a rather obscene idea, to die for your country. You should die for people and you shouldn’t care where they’re from.

I don’t care that I don’t have money, because I don’t need it. It’s nice to have it once in a while. But creating very much feeds me.

My father is Indian. My mother is Eurasian. We only spoke English growing up. I always thought I looked funny, and people always made fun of my hair. I longed for a long time to be a Chinese girl with straight hair, because it seemed like they had it easier.

by Kathy Macleod

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SG MAGAZINE FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015