the ultimate living

APR ⁄JUN 20 07
T H E U LT I M AT E L I V I N G ®
THE AGE OF ECO-CONSUMERISM
S P R I N G FO R I N D U LG E N C E : HOT JEWELS,
ITALIAN DESIGN, THE WORLD’S SUPER HOMES
FAST TRACK THE BEST R AIL ESCAPES
A recent issue of Time magazine’s Style & Design supplement reported a growing trend among
consumers and designers for more conscientious rather than conspicuous consumption. It
seems there is a shift in the way people think about the things they buy, which is taking
consumers into a more reflective and concerned mode of consumption.
Naturally, this new mindset is also reflected aesthetically. People are buying more relevant
products, asking for less fuss and for only what is necessary. “Pure” and “silent” are buzzwords
in design today, and any detailing should be subtle, like a secret between the owner of the
product and the designer who conceived it.
To this end, brands are being forced to make their products speak louder than their blitz.
Creatively, this spells a new challenge—to make products that are sophisticated, modern,
yet with an artisanal edge and yet incredibly advanced.
We, at SC GLOBAL DE VELOPMENTS , are proud to say that this is the way we have designed
our luxury homes from the very start. Our advertisements and commercials have often been
called innovative and have won accolades and awards for their creativity. But an ad is only
as good as the product it was meant to sell, especially in our business of creating exquisitely
luxurious, yet understated residences. When the buzz of the advertising campaign has faded,
what’s left is the product, which must live up to everything that was promised.
That’s why we insist on deftly combining quality with creativity, technology with artisanship, design with the realities of everyday living. The result is what we like to call The Ultimate
Living—homes that are original as they are unexpected; as authentic as they are luxurious.
SI MON C HEONG
APR ⁄ JUN 2007
R E V I E W S BEST 8 GADGE TRY
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O B S E S S I O N HANDHELD LUXURY
HE AVEN
BOOKS+MUSIC
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GOURME T
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TR AVEL FILE
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SCENE
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HOT REELS
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18 PENS ENV Y 20 PURE GOODNESS 22 CADENCE KEEPERS 26 HOME THE ATRE
28 CHINA’S LUXURY HURDLE 30 CONSCIOUS CONSUMERISM 34 HORSE POWER 36 SE VENTH HE AVEN 38
O B J E C T S O F D E S I R E BL A ZE OF GLORY
A R T S C E N E SCULPTURE VULTURE
V O YA G E R AIL ESCAPES
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D E S I G N THE ITALIAN CONNECTION
R AIDERS OF THE LOST ART
ROOMS FOR SALE
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C E L L A R LIQUID SPRE ADSHEE T
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F A S H I O N SPRING SHADES
G O U R M E T SEOUL FOOD
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STARLIGHT E XPRESS
S T O C K I S T MERCHANTS’ LIST
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APR ⁄ JUN 2007
MANAGING EDITOR ANNET TE TAN
EDITOR LIONEL SEAH
CONTRIBUTING AR T DIREC TOR ALEX GOH
SENIOR BUSINESS MANAGER PHYLLIS CHEAH
ASSOCIATE ACCOUNT DIREC TOR SHERWAN SHARIP
ACCOUNT MANAGER JENNY LEE
ASSISTANT OPER ATIONS MANAGER YEO KENG SENG
MICA (P) 236 /12/2006
SC IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY FOR SC GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS LTD BY MEDIACORP PUBLISHING PTE LTD.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, COPYRIGHT © 2007. SC GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS LTD.
OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN SC ARE SOLELY THOSE OF THE WRITERS AND ARE NOT NECESSARILY ENDORSED BY THE PUBLISHER.
EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES OR COMMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE EDITOR, SC, AT [email protected]
WHILE EVERY REASONABLE CARE WILL BE TAKEN BY THE EDITOR, UNSOLICITED MATERIALS WILL NOT BE RETURNED
UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE AND SUFFICIENT RETURN POSTAGE.
ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES CAN BE MADE TO THE ACCOUNT MANAGER, MEDIACORP PUBLISHING PTE LTD, 10 ANG MO KIO ST 65,
TECHPOINT # 01- 06 / 08, SINGAPORE 569059. TEL (65) 64 83 7118
P R I N T E D I N S I N G A P O R E BY K H L
A IRBAG
Inspired by the wind, Loewe’s
napa.aire collection is supple,
fluid and virtually weightless.
Crafted immaculately by hand
and devoid of any metal parts,
each bag is made of the finest
nappa of Pyrenean goat skin.
Supple and spare though it
may be, you’ll never have to
worry about the bag falling
out of shapes as it is cleverly
designed to be flexible and
adaptable. The Loewe napa.
aire comes in four sizes and in a
palette of 14 fascinating shades.
SIMPLY CHIC
The most refreshing aspect
of the Bottega Veneta SpringSummer 2007 collection is its
palette of soft feminine colours
from subtle beige to dusky
rose. The collection beautifully
combines ease with elegance,
and stunning details in closeup. It is luxurious yet discreet,
a signature look that has built
Tomas Maier an impressive
following at Bottega Veneta.
HE AV EN SCEN T
JOURNE Y OF L OV E
Amour by Kenzo is a sweet,
romantic fragrance inspired by
a Balinese offering of frangipani
flowers, rice and incense. This
scent also conjures images
of lovers in a sweet embrace,
kisses in the rain and holding
hands while on a moonlit
stroll. It opens with a floral
bouquet of Frangipani flowers
and cherry blossoms, with an
underlining of powder and
musk. The heart notes dive into
a heady mix of cherries and
steamed rice, with base notes
of powdery musk and vanilla.
OPPOSI T ES AT T R AC T
Miuccia Prada’s new menswear
collection celebrates the
opposites: The formality of a
tailored suit paired with woolly
socks and sandals and long
coats worn over shorts. Details
were strictly utilitarian, like the
tabs that close the ankles on suit
trousers. The most memorable
pieces were the flagrant,
unyielding sheen of patent
leather—purple blouson, orange
shorts and green slip-ons.
The nose of Chanel, Jacque
Polge has created six new
scents for the Les Exclusifs de
Chanel range. The miniature
bottles will fit snugly in
any evening clutch and its
generous range of six also
means you can experiment
with a different scent every
day of the week. This exclusive
range is only available at
select Chanel boutiques
worldwide, including the Chanel
boutique at Ngee Ann City.
PRE T T Y IN PINK
Witness the first piece of
furniture to bear the label of
French Champagne house Veuve
Clicquot . The Clicquot Loveseat
is a 2-m-long, 1.22m-tall and
55-cm wide modern take on the
18th century couple armchair.
Designed by New York-based
Anglo-Egyptian Karim Rashid—
the man behind the packaging
for Prada skincare and Issey
Miyake fragrances—the chair
is made up of two giant petals
joined by a chrome-plated
pedestal. Coated entirely in
pale pink, there is also an icebucket “pistil’’ in between them.
FOR ENQUIRIES, PH 6 8 3 8 9 8 0 0
T IMELY L U X URIES
Cartier, the purveyor of fine
watches and jewellery, has
never been short of fans.
Thanks to its new watch range,
it looks set to win over more
hearts. Unveiled at the Salon
de Haute Horlogerie in Geneva
this month, the Rotonde de
Cartier is a complication watch
that combines a tourbillon, a
perpetual calendar and oneweek power reserve in its
round case. For ladies, the
Ronde Folle, Ronde Excentree
and Ronde Perlee—all from
the Cartier Libre collection, are
round-shaped watches with
round-cut diamonds that play
with oversized numerals and
undulating shapes in design.
PA RM A GL A M
If the thought of unisex or citrus
scents makes you giddy for all
the wrong reasons, you have,
obviously, a nose for exquisite
olfactory pleasures. Which is
why the limited edition Colonia
Edizione Murano by Italian
scent specialist Acqua di Parma
should be part of your grooming
must-haves. Created in 1916
and worn by the likes of Ava
Gardner and David Niven, the
new Colonia now comes in an
Art Deco hand-blown Murano
flacon designed by Giorgio
Vigna, an Italian artisan who
has worked with Bernardo
Bertolucci and Peter Greenaway.
Twist the black bakelite cap
and be enchanted by its lasting
bouquet of roses, lavendar,
rosemary and Oriental wood
essences. Only 1,100 pieces
will be on sale worldwide.
F R O M TA N G S S C E N T B A R
AT TA N G S O R C H A R D
CUF F L OV E
The world of Louis Vuitton
timepieces seems to be clocking
up street cred with watch lovers
everywhere. After the 2006
success of the Speedy smart
grey watch collection comes
its latest technical offering: the
Speedy Reserve de Marche. Two
complications can be found in
this sleek timepiece: A 42-hour
power reserve counter at the six
o’clock position plus a Big Date
display. Water-resistant to 100
metres, with anti-glare sapphire
crystal and black alligator
strap, the Speedy Reserve de
Marche combines fine Swiss
watchmaking expertise with
impeccable French style.
Just the right wrist-candy to
peep from under your cuff.
M A RINE M A RV EL
As scientist and Crème de la Mer
founder Max Huber discovered,
a little kelp never hurt anyone.
Regarded as the mother of all
luxurious face creams, the
skincare marque recently
unveiled its newest product that
promises to set it even further
apart from other wannabe-cult
creams. The Moisturizing Gel
Cream is created with La Mer’s
signature nutrient-rich Miracle
Broth and the exclusive Lime
Tea, a powerful anti-oxidant.
Ideal for warm weather climates
or people for whom Crème
may be too rich, the new Gel
Cream deeply hydrates the
skin, leaves a soft finish and
instantly transforms its texture.
F R O M TA N G S O R C H A R D A N D
ROBINSONS CENTREPOINT
W IRED F OR SOUND
A firm testament to the amount
of time people spend in front
of their computers is Bose’s
Companion 5 system which
comes with two small desktop
speakers and a hideaway
Acoustimass® module. Its
key feature is its proprietary
TrueSpace® surround digital
processing circuitry which
reproduces vivid, enveloping
sound. Sleek and stylish, its
audio qualities might soon
have you watching DVDs on
your computer monitors.
F INGER T HIS
HP’s Touchsmart PC is the first to
boast touch screen technology
in a desktop computer. Once
found only in notebooks and
PDA phones, the Touchsmart
looks set to revolutionise
the way we interact with
computers forever. With its inbuilt handwriting recognition
feature, the mouse or keyboard
is a thing of the past...if you’re
so inclined, that is. Its other
impressive features also include
a 1.3-megapixel webcam,
microphone, and an FM/TV
tuner—all accessible with a
simple tap of your finger.
AU TOMOT I V E
ENGINEERING
The ASUS-Lamborghini VX2
notebooks run and feel like
their super car namesake.
A result of great design
and powerful computing
technology, the notebooks
come in Lamborghini’s
signature yellow and black,
and is made of aluminium
magnesium alloy and carbon
fibre, respectively. Running
on a formidable combination
of Windows Vista and the
latest Intel® Centrino® Duo
Mobile Technology, this is one
marketing and design gimmick
that actually has substance.
F I T IN SPACE
Used by Russian cosmonauts
to keep fit in space, the Power
Plate is more than just a
fitness machine. Research has
shown that regular use results
in increased bone density,
blood circulation, improved
coordination and stronger
muscle tissue. Awarded “Beauty
Machine of the Year” at the 2005
International Beauty Fair in Paris,
the Power Plate my5 and Power
Plate Next Generation Pro 5 are
now available in Singapore.
TO ORDER, PH 6559 - 6267 OR E- MAIL
I N F O @ P O W E R P L AT E . C O M . S G
ELTON JOHN : ROCK E T
MAN
F OR ONE MORE DAY
Mitch Albom
Includes: 1CD + 1DVD
(Special Edition)
With more than 200 million
albums sold, Elton John truly
deserves his own compilation
album. And Rocket Man – The
Definitive Hits is that muchawaited collection. It feature
18 tracks, including ‘Tiny
Dancer’ (the song that was
immortalised in Cameron
Crowe’s film, Almost Famous).
The limited edition two-disc set
includes a bonus DVD featuring
five previously unreleased
live tracks from the highly
acclaimed Las Vegas Red Piano
show, plus five classic videos
spanning the last four decades.
IL DI VO : SIEMPRE
H A NNIBA L RISING
Thomas Harris
W IN T HE COMPL E T E
ELTON JOHN : ROCK E T M A N
BOX SE T
Send in your name, IC number,
address and email, together with
the header Elton John: Rocket
Man, to scmag@mediacorp.
com.sg. The winner will be
notified by post. Closing
date is Apr 30, 2007.
Contrary to popular belief,
Hannibal Lecter didn’t just
emerge from the depths
of hell—he actually had a
childhood. Which is where
the latest book about the
complex serial killer delves into.
Rescued from appalling living
conditions and taken to live in
his uncle Count Lecter’s chateau,
Hannibal hones his passion and
knowledge for art, fine foods,
great literature and murder.
Anyone who’s ever questioned
how a sensitive and intelligent
man develops homicidal
tendencies will find the answers
(and more) in Hannibal Rising.
Borne of the scheming brain
of caustic American Idol judge
Simon Cowell, Il Divo has a
diverse following of people who
either love their voices, their
looks or both. Their third album
Siempre is another fusion of
classical and pop songs. They
aren’t just well dressed, pretty
boys of course—each are trained
opera singers and their talent
shows in tracks such as ‘Nights
in White Satin’, ‘Have You Ever
Loved A Woman’ and their
original, ‘Amor Venme A Buscar’.
JOSH GROBA N : AWA K E
The 25-year-old’s outstanding
voice is once again set to raise
goosebumps with his latest
album which also features
noteworthy collaborations with
artists like Herbie Hancock, Dave
Matthews (Dave Matthews
Band) and Imogen Heap (Frou
Frou). One can’t help but
admire Groban’s range with
departures from his soothing
baritone to fragile falsettos in
pieces like ‘You Are Loved’ and
‘February Song’. The album also
showcases the American’s multitalents—he sings in Spanish and
Italian and plays the piano
and drums.
The author of Tuesdays with
Morrie and Five People You’ll
Meet In Heaven continues
imparting life lessons with
his latest novel. This time,
the book is about the power
of a mother’s unconditional
love. The story follows Charlie
Benetto, a has-been baseball
player, divorced and an
alcoholic. Just when it looks
like it can’t get any worse,
he discovers his beloved
daughter doesn’t want him
at her wedding. Lonely and
desolate, Charlie he decides to
take his own life. He retreats
to his family home to spend
his final moments only to
find the spirit of his dead
mother, who’s back for one
day, specially to take him
through all the regrets in his
life. Nostalgic and sentimental,
For One More Day is best read
next to a box of tissues.
CUISINE A R T
The new National Museum may
be packing in the crowds, but
it’s not just for the art. At the
fine-dining Novus restaurant,
chef Dan Master’s light and
contemporary cuisine has built a
growing fan base. His signature
dishes include the thrice braised
pork belly, a healthy serving of
tuna with rocket, asparagus and
radish salad, and seabass in a
star anise-infused bisque with
angel hair pasta. In keeping with
the art elements of the museum,
the 48-seater restaurant’s chic
interior is outfitted in furniture
designed by the likes of Jasper
Morrison and Paul Smith.
PH : 6 336 8770
BRE W WORKS
Clark Quay’s only microbrewery
The Pump Room boasts a
range of classic and specialty
beers brewed fresh in its
premises. Choose from
lagers and ales from the easy
drinking, crisp Pump Room
Lager, to the copper-hued
malty flavoured India Pale Ale.
Beyond the brewery, The
Pump Room also features a
bistro and a bar with a live band
and lots of room to groove. At
the bistro, expect Australianinspired cuisine that uses
plenty of seasonal ingredients.
The Thai-style beef salad with
tangy lime, chilli and sesame
dressing is an excellent starter,
with succulent, tender slivers
of beef cooked to mediumrare perfection on a bed of
spicy rocket leaves, mint and
bean sprouts. Also lovely was
the roast rack of lamb served
with a tasty Parmesan potato
dauphinoise and rosemary
sauce. The lamb was just the
right shade of pink and meltingly
tender, but it was the potatoes
that stole the show with its
creamy texture and delicate
flavours. Save room for the soft
as clouds Sticky Date Pudding
and the Soft Centre Pavlova
with mixed fruit and passionfruit
curd. The bistro opens for
lunch and dinner and serves a
light snacks menu in between.
W W W. P U M P R O O M A S I A . C O M
E XPECT THE UNE XPECTED
Aurum is now virtually
synonymous with wheelchair
dining. Guests either love the
quirky concept or downright
loathe the inauspiciousness
of tempting fate by getting
in a wheelchair before their
time. It’s a pity that talk of
the wheelchairs usually
precedes the subject of the
cuisine that Aurum serves.
Because as Singapore’s
first hypermodern cuisine
restaurant, Aurum deserves
a little praise for its daring.
By his own admission, the
restaurant’s executive chef
Edward Voon is a newcomer
to this genre of gastronomy.
But he has in a teacher Paco
Roncero, technical consultant
for Aurum and distinguished
disciple of Ferran Adria, the
man widely credited as the
pioneer of hypermodern cuisine.
No surprise then that Aurum’s
menu reads like an adapted list
of Adria’s seminal dishes. There
is the very popular foamed
Spanish omelette that leaves
the lingering taste of lush
potatoes on the palette, and
the much-talked-about lychee
caviar which uses Adria’s muchcopied spherification method.
Bite into the miniscule shiny
orbs and experience a luscious
explosion of lychee syrup.
At its essence, hypermodern
cuisine in Aurum’s case is the
presentation of familiar flavours
in unfamiliar ways. To wit:
that simple dish of spaghetti
tossed in olive oil, balsamic
vinegar and Parmesan cheese
is reinterpreted with a single
strand of spaghetti made from
Parmesan cheese set atop a
plate on which sits a delicate
puddle of olive oil and balsamic
vinegar. To consume, guests
suck the strand of noodle off
the plate and as it makes its way
into the mouth, every inch of
the noodle is coated with a film
of the olive oil and balsamic.
“You must come with an open
mind,” said Voon. And in his
case, an open mind would mean
looking past the deceptively
simple menu and embracing
the concept of eating the
expected in unexpected ways.
Rather than a meal of tastes,
it is a meal of experiences
that are as interactive as
they are interesting.
Without doubt, Aurum is
still finding its feet with Voon
slated to apprentice with Adria
himself in the coming months.
For now, Aurum provides light
introduction to the possibilities
of molecular gastronomy and
a particularly friendly one for
virgins of hypermodern food.
And if you don’t fancy dining
in a wheelchair, you can ask
always for a good-old standard
four-legged seat instead.
W W W. A U R U M . S G
DA NGEROUSLY HIP
When it opened in June 1995,
the Delano marked a stylistic
departure for its owner, Ian
Schrager. The 238-room hotel
and South Beach landmark,
which was built in 1947 and
named after president Franklin
Delano Roosevelt, fuses the
boutique hotel concept with
the typical family resorts of
Miami Beach. But 12 years on
and looking not a day older
than when it first opened,
the Delano is ready for her
next close-up. Thanks to a
recent overhaul, the hotel’s
outdoor lobby and rooms now
come in pared-down but eyesearing white. Apartment and
penthouse are located on the
top two floors, and in addition
to their spacious proportions,
custom Starck-designed
furniture and private terraces,
they also boast unparalleled
ocean views. Both of these
very special accommodations
feature extraordinarily luxurious
bathrooms crafted entirely of
imported Italian marble with
enormous marble soaking tubs.
W W W. D E L A N O - H O T E L . C O M
SA IL OF T HE CEN T URY
The purveyor of luxury ships
and exotic destinations,
Silversea recently unveiled
its new series of 25 specially
tailored packages for 2007 and
2008 called Elegant Explorations.
The collection, which offers
voyages ranging from 27 to
69 days, combine the luxury
of sailing onboard the line’s
elite, award-winning vessels
with journeys to must-see
traditional ports, as well as
exotic destinations that are off
the beaten sea-faring route.
Whether it’s a 28-day trip to
Western Europe, a 36-day
sojourn from the Mediterranean
through the Red Sea to Egypt,
Kenya and the Seychelles, or
a 62-day voyage from Venice
and Dubai to Singapore and
Sydney, Elegant Explorations
is the sail worth waiting for.
Prices start from US$500 per
suite (based on double sharing)
for guests sailing 44 to 65 days
and US$1,000 per suite for
those sailing 66 to 109 days.
Complimentary Business Class
air upgrades are also available
with the purchase of the
optional air program on voyages
of 50 or more consecutive days.
W W W. S I LV E R S E A . C O M
MI A MI ’S NICE
SPA AT T R AC T ION
Not traditionally associated with
spas, South Korea can now call
itself a spa destination thanks
to The Away spa at W hotel in
Walkerhill, Seoul. Possibly the
largest spa in a hotel in east
Asia, it spans 5,000 square
metres and three floors and
overlooks Seoul’s picturesque
Han river. There are seven
water pools, a swimming
pool and a sandy beach, on
top of a range of treatments
as broad as opera singer
Luciano Pavarotti’s girth. From
Ayurvedic treatments to Koreanstyl hammams, Away Spa is
the worst kept secret among
Seoul’s stressed-out souls.
W W W.W H O T E L S . C O M / S E O U L
The buzz on Miami never seems
to fizzle. And adding more glitz
to this seriously hip American
coastal city is the new Mondrian
South Beach apartment. Situated
on Biscayne Bay, overlooking
the Atlantic Ocean, South Beach
and downtown Miami, Mondrian
South Beach comprises 342
studios, one and two-bedroom
apartments and penthouses.
Designed by Marcel Wanders,
a founding member of Dutch
design collective Droog, it
marries the elements of a
fantasy modern getaway with
the comforts and conveniences
of home. Facilities include a
state-of-the-art spa and gym, a
world-class, five-star restaurant,
a dynamic nightlife experience,
stylish event spaces and private
VIP boat slips for yachting
and boating trips. This überluxurious apartment, which
can be bought or rented, is the
brainchild of the Morgans Hotel
Group, owned by Ian Schrager.
W W W. M O N D R I A N S O U T H B E A C H . C O M
2 51 INSPIRED BY T HE
S TORY OF A NN A BEL
CHONG
5 to 15 Apr 2007
Esplanade Theatre Studio
The infamous Annabel Chong,
with her unique brand of
feminism, became the focus of
feverish media attention when
she set the world-record—a
10-hour gangbang with 251
men in 1994. This play is a
fascinating story about Grace
Quek’s transformation into
Annabel Chong, presented
by Toy Factory Productions.
The narrative re-enacts, reconstructs and imagines
conversations between Grace
and her world. “Chong is such
an urban legend in a way,”
says director Loretta Chen. “It
seems everybody knows
somebody who knew her in
school … I wanted to present
a different perspective to what
we know of Annabel from that
sensational video.” It’s natural
to assume how the play would
turn out, but the final product
was shot in documentarylike style—there’s absolutely
nothing pornographic about it.
In this site-specific play,
audiences sit on the cavernous
stage as each performer and
designer tells their story. This
visceral hour-long performance
fuses lights, sound, storytelling,
installation and object puppetry
into an unifying experience
that’s provocative and inspiring.
There will even be real dogs
used on stage and in close
proximity to the audience.
Due to the uniqueness of its
theatrical content, only 200
tickets are available each night.
Those who missed the
Omegamania auction by premier
watch auctioneer Antiquorum
in Singapore in March, can
head down to Geneva in the
middle of April. Over two
days, two private Omega
collections that make up the
300-lot catalogue will be up for
grabs, including prize-winning
chronometers, military watches
from both World Wars, some
of the earliest diving watches
ever produced, and the now
seminal Co-Axial escapement
housed in a limited edition
split-seconds chronograph.
W W W. S I S T I C . C O M . S G
W W W. S I S T I C . C O M . S G
W W W. A N T I Q U O R U M . C O M
OMEG A M A NI A
Antiquorum Thematic
Auction 2007
14 & 15 April
0501
5 till 7 April
Victoria Theatre
SH A K E SP E A R E IN T HE PA R K
A MIDSUMMER ’S NIGH T
DRE A M
3 till 13 May
Fort Canning Park
A landmark production in
Singapore’s theatre history,
Shakespeare in the Park
returns 10 years later after
its gripping adaptation of
Hamlet. This summer, it’s a
light-hearted, contemporary
take on Shakespeare’s comic
masterpiece, A Midsummer’s
Night Dream. Pack some wine
and cheese for a picnic on the
greens and be entertained by
the comedic cast of characters
in a unique night under the stars.
W W W. S I S T I C . C O M . S G
T HE CRYS TA L MIRROR
9 March till 15 April
Mandarin Oriental Hotel
Padang, B Connaught Drive
du Rhone, Geneva
With The Crystal Mirror,
Singaporeans can have a taste
of the 1920s dinner theatre
shows that were staged for the
high society in Vienna and Paris.
Step into the Crystal Mirror and
be enchanted by the artistic
display of acrobats, comedians,
magicians and artists from
all over Europe. Held in true
grandeur in a tent decorated
with 1,500 mirrors designed
to charm audiences with a
play on light, this is artistry of
the highest order, complete
with culinary delicacies
executed with equal finesse.
W W W. S I S T I C . C O M . S G
V EGE TA BL E ORCHES T R A
7 till 9 June
Jubilee Hall
Founded in 1998, and the only
one of its kind in the world,
this nine-member ensemble
from Austria loves to make
music out of a meal. Carrots,
turnips, eggplants, chillies,
watermelons—you name
it, they’ve got a sound from
it. Their works range from
traditional folk pieces to
classical European music
concert and experimental
music. Dicing, grating, hitting,
blowing and shredding, all
with the help of a few kitchen
utensils, makes the Vegetable
Orchestra a feast for the senses.
W W W. S I S T I C . C O M . S G
L I T T L E RED F L OW ERS
A pesky young boy refuses to
toe the line in his kindergarten,
and in doing so, he very nearly
organises a revolution against
the head teacher and eventually
finds himself in the school’s
isolation room. This incredibly
charming film by Chinese
director Zhang Yuan (Beijing
Bastards, Seventeen Years) is, of
course, about much more than
children. It’s an allegory that
seems to say that conformity
and mass movement may
be a part of Chinese life, but
there is room for occasional
compromise and exception.
Essentially a series of incidents
and vignettes showing the child
holding on to his individualism
against all attempts to make
him conform, this film will
charm even the hardest of
hearts and is a showcase for the
young actor’s dazzling talents.
DAYS OF GL ORY
(INDIGÈNES)
Nominated for Best Foreign
Language Film at this year’s
Oscars, Indigènes is directed
by four-time nominee Rachid
Bouchareb, who, like the
characters in his latest movie,
is French of Algerian descent.
A wounding indictment of
discrimination in the trenches,
Indigènes is set during the
last years of World War II
and follows a small group
of infantrymen from North
Africa through Italy and
across France into Alsace.
Though these Algerian Arabs
are fighting the good fight for
the French, equality is mere
lip service and racial tensions
simmer constantly. A
measured, classical piece of
work, Indigènes is a brilliant
war movie with excellent
storytelling, exquisitely
precise combat sequences
and cinematography that
is both dramatic and
ethereal. The acting is
equally first-rate with two
of its actors sharing the
Best Actor prize in Cannes.
But the best thing about
this film? It helped shame
the French government
into raising pensions for
more than 80,000 French
Algerian war veterans.
DON’ T COME KNOCK ING
Two decades after their
successful collaboration in
Paris, Texas, Wim Wenders
and Sam Shepard unite
to bring this Palme d’Or
nominated film at the Cannes
Film Festival. A story about
love and family relations, it
chronicles the life of western
has-been Howard Spence
(played by Shepard) from the
moment he rides his horse
off the Utah set of “Phantom
of the West” in a fit of selfdisgust. He returns home to
the comforts of his mother
and hides out in his childhood
bedroom. Under the care of
doting mum, Howard raises
hell once again, which leads
to those meaningful talks
that tend to follow such
seminal events. During
one such talk, his mother
lets on that Howard has a
grown-up son with Doreen
(played by a botoxed Jessica
Lange). Through finding
his long-lost son, Howard
comes to terms with his
own abandonment issues.
SK E TCHES OF
F R A NK GEHRY
Sydney Pollack’s first stab at
documentary filmmaking traces
the life and work of his friend
Frank Gehry. As a documentary,
there is little of the unexpected.
Audiences get stories about his
childhood, anecdotes from his
famous friends, colleagues and
even his therapist, and insights
into his celebrated works. It
is a competent portrait, yet
somehow it leaves its audience
wanting more, especially since
Pollack and Gehry have been
friends for decades. The film
fails to explore the private
side of Gehry—the disaster of
his first marriage that drove
him to therapy, the decision to
change his surname (originally
Goldberg) and his take on his
many critics. Still, Sketches
paints a satisfying picture of
the architect’s career and offers
an intriguing glimpse into the
seeds of Gehry’s artistic ideas.
T URNING PAGES (L A
TOURNEUSE DE PAGES)
This emotional thriller tells the
story of Melanie Prouvost, the
only child of a butcher and his
wife, who practises diligently for
an audition for a piano studies
scholarship. On examination
day, a judge Melanie admires—
Ariane Fouchecourt—stops
concentrating on her
performance to sign an
autograph. Her confidence
shaken, Melanie never recovers
and blows her audition and
the chance to walk her chosen
path. Fast forward a decade
and Melanie is a poised 20something working as a file
clerk in a prestigious Paris
law firm headed by Jean
Fouchecourt, Ariane’s husband.
As she inches her way into the
couple’s lives, Melanie slowly
but surely delivers Ariane’s
comeuppance. Not to be
overshadowed by the superb
acting is a perfectly integrated
musical score of performance
pieces by Shostakovich, Bach
and Schubert that facilitates a
mood of expectant unease.
18
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OBSESSION
+
Sleek as it is, the Luminoso also operates in the
real world so on top of its 3G capabilities, its triband GSM coverage will find a signal in five continents, while its surround sound stereo speakers
keeps conversations clarion.
P R A DA BY D E S I G N No fashion brand knots
sex and texture as sublimely as Prada. They do
this so exquisitely because their fabrics, leather
accessories, and now their phones, are organic
by desig n. The Prada Phone is f ully touchoriented, meaning its screen changes with its
applications and every aspect of your interaction
with the phone is done with touch. The tri-band
phone is a study in minimalist design and while
some purport that the Prada phone bears some
resemblance to the upcoming Apple iPhone,
the sybarite would instinctively gravitate to
the Prada’s lines, especially when they see the
exclusive Saffiano leather case it comes with.
Another thing the geeks don’t get would be the
alluring ring tones emanating from the 12mm
profile and the Bluetooth headset inscribed with
the Prada insignia.
V E R T U C O N S T E L L AT I O N The progenitors
of lu x u r y mo b i le phone s, Ver t u c h a ng e d
the perception of the mobile phone as massmarket gadget to a modernist tool for the cool.
LUXURY MOBILE PHONES ARE ABOUT HEFT, TOUCH AND TONE…SOMETHING MORE
VISCERAL THAN JUST FUSING A FEW DIAMONDS ONTO IT REBECCA CHUA
PR ADA+VERTU+MOBIADOO
STORY
There is a material divide between mass market
I M AGES
They did this through inordinate obsessive
P H O N E TAG
Diaddict, a
Better known for
designer Japanese
and luxury mobile phones and it all boils down to
compulsiveness to materials…the heft, feel
their race-inspired
brand is finding a
exotic metals. While consumer mobile phones are
and click of ever y phone component. Much
like auto designers agonising over the tone of
timepieces, Tag Heuer
complementary niche
encased in plastic just a few grades above a grocery
recently revealed
in luxury mobile
bag, custom mobile phones have gone the way
a car door closing, Vertu engineers also spend
their intention to
phones. The jewel
of Formula One cars by incorporating exotic case
painstaking hours searching for that perfect key
enter the bespoke
design doyens recently
materials and alchemic manufacturing processes.
mobile phone market.
crafted a one of a kind,
feel and ‘tone’ when depressed. Along they way,
they’ve also taken materials like Liquidmetal®,
In conjunction with
diamond-studded strap
M O B I A D O A bespoke manufacturer of CNC
an amorphous alloy usually used by NASA and
ModeLabs, a custom
for a mobile phone.
(computer numerical control) machined luxury
incorporated it into their phones.
cell phone designer
Basically it’s bling
mobile phones unveiled the Luminoso in January
With their latest luxury line, the Constellation
that dreamt up designs
that slings a 6.02-carat
this year. Currently the first and only 3G luxury
collection, takes a design cue from classic aircraft
for companies like MTV
yellow diamond, not
mobile phone, the Luminoso is a melding of
design most evident in the microphone receiver
and Virgin Mobile, it
to mention 2.1-carats
aluminum, sapphire cr ystal, and stainless
port that is shaped like a propeller. Ladies would be
will fashion a stainless
in iridescent white
steel to create an ingot of luxurious tactility. Its
pleased to note that among the Constellation series
steel cell phone that
diamonds, a 0.61-
aluminium frame is machined from solid bars
is a pink leather bound variant that is finished in
complements the
carat blue diamond
of 6061 T6 aircraft aluminium, more often seen
stainless steel and emblazoned with a red ruby
cold cool steel of Tag
and a 0.36-carat
enduring Mach 2 g-forces on an F-16 attack aircraft.
stone in the center of the navigation controls.
Heuer watches.
pink diamond. This
The frame is then bead blasted followed by a hard
While incredibly svelte, Vertu phones are still
working instruments for busy professionals. The
slinky diamond sling
anodised coating to create a ceramic shield twice
quite literally stops
the normal thickness of traditional anodising. The
Constellation series comes with a real-time flight
conversations at
phone’s screen is coated with DiamondShield®,
tracker for flight information, a currency converter
US$842,000 and is
the most sophisticated coating with similar
linked to the latest exchange rates, and a global
currently on display
resistance to scratches as diamonds. Each button
weather-reporting feature. Of course if thumb-
at the Takashimaya
on the phone is made from a medley of sapphire
ing through the menu gets too tiresome, there is
Department store in
crystal and stainless steel, while the phone’s
always the dedicated Vertu Concierge button—the
Nihombashi, Japan.
camera lens is shielded with a sapphire shield.
sybarites rip cord to taxing situations.
The Mobiado Luminoso features a dual illumi-
There are seven pieces in the Constellation
nation array that lights the keypad from beneath
series but the most alluring is an 18-karat yellow
and from above through the buttons. The glow
gold with black leather and the ‘lady luxe’ model
is ethereal yet pin sharp even in direct sunlight.
in polished stainless steel and pink leather
When it comes to the world of writing instru-
Over a protracted period, these minerals gradu-
ments, only one pen name stands leag ues
ally replace the wood, and in a silica-rich environ-
above the rest: Graf Von Faber-Castell makes
ment, the wood can develop into the nascent phase
pens to rule all pens. Since 2003, the German brand
of semi-precious stones like agate and chalcedony.
has been rolling out its Pen Of The Year edition, a
To provide this hard wood with a top-quality
series that showcases its painstaking craftsman-
gemstone finish, the demanding precision cut-
ship and its eloquent use of precious metals and
ting has been entrusted to the Herbert Stephan
valuable wood stocks.
A nd for t he past four years, t he familyowned Faber-Castell has manufactured one
gemstone manufactury, which relies on cutters
from the Idar Oberstein gemstone workshops
founded in the 15th century.
fountain pen model that uses exclusive materi-
The result: Each stone’s uniqueness is shown
als such as snakewood, amber, and mammoth
to its advantage while individual colour hues vary
ivory in a setting so luxurious, it causes pens
from light brown to anthracite and all the way to
envy in other fountain pens.
deep black that only hints at the wood grain.
Continuing its fascination with wood, the star
The barrel—eight precious stones made of
of this year’s Pen Of The Year is a little-known
petrified wood in a platinum-coated metal case—
and rare gem, petrified wood, which makes up
is merely the tip of the pen’s 18-carat gold nib,
the pen’s barrel. Harvested only from Brazilian
which comes in three sizes.
deciduous wood, petrified wood is geologically
The entire construct of this 80g and 137mm-
treated by a natural crystallisation process that
long, individually-numbered writing instrument
takes up to 360 million years, during which lime,
is an exercise in unrestrained luxury. The end
phosphates and other minerals penetrate the
piece and the cap are high-gloss and platinised
wood from the surroundings.
with a spring loaded clip that ensures it sits firmly
on a breast pocket. Even the cap end is platinumcoated with an inlaid little plate made of petrified
wood with gemstone facetting.
When you pick up the Pen Of The Year 2007,
20
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21
OBSESSION
you don’t just have a pen in your hand; you have
exquisite art in between your fingers and thumb.
And for S$4,800, it’s affordable art that doesn’t
compromise on quality
THE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD. WISE WORDS, INDEED
STORY
LIONEL SE AH
I M AGES
FABER-CASTELL
+
23
OBSESSION
22
WITH ITS NEWEST VENTURE, PURVEYOR OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE,
EU YAN SANG, OFFERS A PAMPERING MODERNISTIC JOURNEY TO THE EAST
STORY
CHONGWAN TAY
I M AGES
E U YA N S A N G
it turns out, they are re-inventing the face of TCM
for the younger generation which had previously
found the concept hard to swallow.
Nothing in Red White & Pure has a trace of
the old TCM. Enter the store and you’ll see Tonic
bar fronting a wall in a style reminiscent of old
Chinese apothecary cabinets. The minimalist
white-on-white look has a spectacular backdrop:
An open waterfront view of the harbour. As you
navigate through the myriad treatment options
on the Red White & Pure computers, sip a tonic of
Liquid Yoga—a calming blend of jujube, Chinese
peony and longan fruit, or replenish and cleanse
Traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM, has never
with the purest of waters like Finé or Tynant PET.
scored well for its appearance or taste. But if
Then make your way to the sanctuary on the
Eu Yan Sang’s latest superstore is anything to
second floor. Illuminated by skylights and looking
go by, the modern face of TCM is finally ready for
into a garden, this space houses a retail gallery
its close-up.
with holistic skincare and wellness brands that
Over 10,000 sq ft of Zen white space, sprawling
are new in town. Each retail station is a lily pad
view of the waters, aromatherapy vapours perme-
with seats made out of sticks of bamboo. From
ating the air and chocolates infused with Chinese
candles to face lotions to bath oils, the brands are
herbs, Red White & Pure is Eu Yan Sang’s new
mostly organic and from the likes of New Zealand,
wellness venue that comes equipped with a spa-
Italy and Japan.
clinic, a yoga studio, a restaurant and retail gallery
As your consultant leads you from the lily pads
all rolled into one. Surrounded by full windows
to the white cocoon that is the spa, the only hint
facing Singapore’s waterfront at Vivocity, this
that this is a facility founded on Oriental practices
place is more Miami-cool than Chinois-chic.
is its Zen interiors. Before the treatments, an
The homegrown g roup’s latest foray into
in-house TCM physician will provide a consulta-
lifestyle retail and services, this boutique-store
tion and recommend health solutions for detox,
is an attempt to haul TCM into the 21st century.
de-stress or whatever you need. Choose a day
Conceptualised three years ago, it is a $5-million
prog ram that starts with detox and cleans-
investment that Eu Yan Sang plans to import to
ing, followed by TCM treatments that include
the West in the next few years. Possibly the first of
acupuncture and cupping. Then wrap up with a Dr
its kind, it is the ultimate east-meets-west creation
Hauschka facial. This perfect synergy of east-west
that will, hopefully, propel TCM lifestyle into
therapies will leave you revived enough for the
the mainstream.
fine treats at the restaurant.
And it’s about time, too: Red White & Pure is
Top off the experience with TCM cuisine. The
determined to show the world there’s more to TCM
menu at Red White & Pure is exotic to say the
than pungent herbal remedies, holistic fertility
least. Chef Raphael Gamon embraces the wisdom
treatments and acupuncture.
Thomas Yasuda, it s manag i ng d i rec tor,
of Chinese medicine in his classic French training. It’s gourmet food therapy, if ever there was
explains that the superstore is founded on four
one. Dishes like Cordon Bleu Chicken and Filet
pillars of wellness: De-stress, detox, skincare and
Mignon take on a new twist with traditional
weight management. And Red White & Pure hopes
Chinese herbs like wolfberries, red dates and yam
to achieve them through its neatly packaged six
thrown into the mix. Initial skepticism is quickly
elements: Taste, a restaurant that sports a menu
replaced by pleasure when you taste the delicate
that’s gourmet and health-conscious; Tonic, a 17-
Chicken Massamun (curried chicken steeped
metre-long bar that serves tonics, organic wines
in the goodness of reishi mushrooms and kelp-
and juices; Terrace, ideal for post-treatment light
enhanced red curry) and the delightful Noble
bites, energy tonics and teas, set against the bonus
Abulón (braised abalone with ginseng, roasted
spectacular waterfront view; Treat, a wellness
green apples dressed with persimmon coulis and
retreat which offers TCM consultations along with
truffle butter). Finish with their exquisite bird’s
treatments, acupuncture, aromatherapy and
nest ice cream and you’re good to go.
skincare; Touch, a studio for learning events such
Indeed, in their own new and unique way, Eu
as Hatha yoga, meditation, qigong and educational
Yan Sang shows that the journey to good health
talks; and finally Treasure, the retail gallery that
can be a sweet, not bitter, experience
offers cult holistic skincare collections like Red
Flower, This Works and Mor, artesian and thermal
spring waters, wellness teas, Red White & Pure
chocolates, handmade and infused with all sorts
of Asian goodness like ginseng and green tea, and
house brand honey from New Zealand.
When Eu Yan Sang first conceived the idea for
Red White & Pure, they wanted to introduce TCM’s
holistic lifestyle to those unfamiliar with it. But as
They are the drum majors of horology. Cadence
marine chronometers of that time and a study in
keepers that have such metronomic precision
mechanical thrift with separate axes for the hour,
they were reference points used to calibrate all
minute and seconds hands. This arrangement
the other timepieces in a watchmaker’s atelier.
reduced the amount of mechanical energy needed
Originally, régulateurs were wall-mounted clocks
to drive the gears, while also lessening friction.
that distinctively had its hour, minute, and
Both resulted in better accuracy.
seconds dials separated in their own subdials. The
Today the régulateur is a symbol of mechanical
logic behind the decentralised arrangement of
punctiliousness and astute collectors regard it as
the dial is simply legibility. The slow creep of the
the highest discipline of horological arts. Here are
hour hand on a traditional arrangement could
some stellar pieces:
obscure the seconds hand making it difficult
Because of its emphasis on precision, the seconds
C H O PA R D L . U . C 4 R Q U AT T R O R É G U L A T E U R Released in 2004, this f luid wrist
hand display is of prime importance, which is
metronome was voted ‘Watch of the Year’ by
why the hour hand is moved to its own dial at the
Montres Passion, a watch magazine. Chopard’s
for the watchmaker to calibrate to exact timing.
26
+
27
OBSESSION
12 o’clock position.
captivating Quattro Rég ulateur features an
This clean array of indices on régulateurs also
astounding four-barrel 70-hour power reserve
made it a critical component in observatories of
movement. Its power reserve is indicated by an
the 18th century, where astronomers relied on
indicator at the 12 o’clock position.
their precision to chart the movement of celes-
It wasn’t long ago when Chopard made other
tial bodies across the night sky. The precision of
manufactures take notice when they miniatur-
the régulateur was the invention of Ferdinand
ised their regulator mechanism to fit a wristwatch.
Berthoud, a watchmaker to the King of France and
The modern interpretation of a classic instrument
the French Navy. His design was an inspiration to
comes in a round steel case with Zen minimal-
ist lines. A perforated dial reveals little aspects
Régulateur is the 98245 calibre, which is based
of the menagerie of gears beneath. There is also
on the traditional pocket watch movement. The
VA C H E R O N C O N S TA N T I N M A LT E
D U A L T I M E R É G U L AT E U R This is classic
the brilliant geometric interplay of the crescent-
discerning collector would know that the actual
Malte aesthetics: fan-shaped bracelet attachments,
shaped power reserve and the varying sizes of the
movement is based on the 98 calibre, which is a
crown with the inimitable Maltese Cross, and
hour and seconds subdials. All these visual pulses
milestone in watchmaking technology and has
facetted sword blade watch hands. Beneath is
are under laid by the beaming elegance of the
been IWC’s engineering bedrock for over 70 years.
the calibre 1206 RDT self-winding movement that
sunray pattern etched on the dial.
Building on this, improvements like distortion-
stores in excess of 60 hours of power reserve.
resistant three-quarter plate made from nickel
Being a dual time indicator, the 24-hour subdial is
The régulateur displays the minutes in the
centre, hours at 3 o’clock and seconds at 6 o’clock,
silver have been added. To date, IWC remains
situated at the 9 o’clock position while the minute
while “dauphine” hands in hollowed out blued
the only manufacturer in Switzerland that coats
hand commands full sway over the watch face.
The outer perimeter of the seconds subdial at
steel mark the progression of time. The visual
their movements with nickel while most of the
feast culminates at 9 o’clock by a second 24-hour
industry uses rhodium. A large Glucydur balance
6 o’clock is given to a circular calendar where a
time zone with day and night segments adjusta-
with weight compensating screws and adjustment
red-tinged pointer indicates the date.
ble by a push piece. Manufactured exclusively in
cams with lengthened precision adjustment index
In close proximity to the second time zone, the
steel, the Chopard L.U.C Régulateur is limited to
adds to the micro-precision of this movement, as
push piece that initiates the second time zone
250 pieces.
well as shock resistance. The dovetail of old and
display is placed at the 11 o’clock position, facilitat-
I W C P O R T U G U E S E R É G U L AT E U R The
new technology is open to admiration through the
ing a quick thumb depression to reveal the alternate
coated sapphire case back.
time zone. As an intimate touch, the ‘officer’ type
Portuguese line was borne of a request from two
Cased in 43mm platinum, the 98245 calibre
case back is hinged allowing its internal surface to
Portuguese traders for a finely proportioned pocket
hums at 18,0 0 0 v ibrat ions per hour w ith a
be engraved discreetly. Open the back and the clear
watch. The case dimensions became emblematic
mechanical efficiency that stores an impressive
sapphire plate reveals the movement’s18-karat
of IWC and stayed on even as the watch took the
46-hours of power reserve. Gold and silver cases
gold oscillating weight. Finally the Malte Régulateur
form of a wristwatch. Remaining true to IWC’s
are available but the most sought-after platinum
meets the wrist with a padded and hand-stitched
traditions, beating within the IWC Portuguese
cases number only 500.
alligator strap fitted with a gold clasp
A RÉGULATEUR IS THE WATCHMAKER’S ‘GO-TO’ TIMEPIECE—A REFERENCE TIMEPIECE
FROM WHICH ALL OTHER TIMEPIECES TAKE CADENCE. AND FOR SOME COLLECTORS,
THEY ARE THE EMBLEMS OF HOROLOGY
MERVIN CHUA
C H O P A R D + I W C + VA C H E R O N
STORY
I M AGES
CRYSTAL CHANDELIERS AND PRIVATE POOLS USED TO BE ENOUGH TO IMPRESS
GUESTS TO YOUR HOME. THOSE DAYS ARE OVER. THEMED HOME THEATRES ARE THE
NEW JAW-DROPPERS
MERVIN CHUA
C A L SPA S + OPEN A IR CINEM A
STORY
I M AGES
D I N N E R A N D A M O V I E If the Titanicthemed home theatre system got you thinking
about the lure of the silver screen under the stars,
there is an even more enticing home theatre
variant. Instead of dinner and a movie, think of it
Home theatres are immersive indulgences.
as dinner while watching a movie. Cal Spas has
And what could be more indulgent than a Titanic-
come up with a full-on home theatre system for
themed home theatre system. You half expect
a spacious backyard. Considering it is outdoors,
Jack Dawson to stroll in saying, “Rose, where’ve
the system has been designed to marine grade
you been, I’ve been waiting.”
specifications, which pretty much means you can
Home theatre designers, Casa Cinema, repli-
sail with it. With that in mind, this ocean-going
cated the burgundy and oak opulence of a Titanic
barbeque pit and theatre comes with an anti-fog,
ballroom, complete with a dome ceiling. Hidden in
anti-glare 63-inch LCD HDTV with surround sound.
the dome ceiling are 1,230 fiber-optic light strands
Kids will be pleased that an iPod docking station
that give the effect of a night sky. But while
and hookups for gaming consoles can transform
expansive domes give the aura of an outdoor
that home theatre system into an MTV after-school
special. At the business end of this home theatre
Domes complicated the room’s acoustics because
is a five-burner barbeque grill and a wet bar. And
most speaker systems are designed based on an
expecting theatrical spills both onscreen and off,
angular room. Casa Cinema engineers fixed that
the recliners are weatherproof as well.
OBSESSION
theatre, they are an acoustician’s nightmare.
with acoustic panels around the room to compen-
B L O W-U P T H E AT R E
sate for the extra room volume and tweaked the
It’s like the days of drive-
speakers for better directionality.
in mov ies. The raspy
At the heart of the room is a Vidikron Model 30
s ou nd s f r om t he t i n
ET projector that pumps out an image wider than a
speakers and pict ure
HDTV’s 16:9 image. Its projection lands on a custom-
quality like a pirated VCD
made 120-inch screen. LSA Group front speakers
was tolerated because it
are nestled discreetly within the wood furnishings
was just great watching a movie outdoors. Now
while Tru Audio surround channels are placed in
you can relive those days with much improved
the front pillars and ceiling. The speaker array
sound and picture quality. Outdoor cinema
gets its input from a Marantz receiver and DVD
outriggers, Open Air Cinema has developed a
player. All audio, visual and room lighting controls
9x5 feet inflatable screen that is wrinkle-free and
are manipulated by a Creston home control and
machine washable with a widescreen ratio of 16:9.
lighting system.
At that size, the Air Screen Pro is large enough to
accommodate an audience of 30 viewers and all
it takes is a 10-minute set up with the projector
surface zipping into the frame made of reinforced
PVC. The Air Screen Pro accommodates front and
rear projector. And while many of the movies you
screen may have weak plots, the Air Screen Pro is
puncture-proof such that even if a hole develops,
the constant air pressure from the low-noise air
blower keeps your evening entertainment from
getting flaccid and a sagging projector screen is
your least worry. Your bigger worry could be your
kids floating the screen in the pool and converting
your pool into a liquid mosh pit. Thankfully, there
are eight tethers used to stabilise the screen
against 40km/h gusts of wind. And stowing the
Air Screen Pro away is a matter of pulling the
plug, literally, and letting the air out. After which
the whole kit fits into a duffle-sized protective
carrying case
28
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31
OBSESSION
30
DESPITE CHINA’S ECONOMIC POTENTIAL, ONLY ONE IN 10 LUXURY BRANDS STAY
OUT OF THE RED
STORY
REBECCA CHUA
I M AGES
MERVIN CHUA + RADO
W IT H A N ENORMOUS
RE TAIL POT EN T IA L , CHIN A
F OOL S LU XURY RE TAIL ERS
IN TO T HE BEL IEF T H AT T HE Y
COUL D SIMPLY SE T UP A
S TOREF RON T A ND GE T
S WA RMED W I T H SA L ES
It’s been called the luxury market’s El Dorado,
ness of Chinese consumers. During that time,
the land of plump promises. With its soaring
Chinese officials allowed Rado to buy advertising
incomes, teeming cities and growth forecasts
spots—a first for any foreign company—on the
averaging 9 per cent annually, China seems like
nightly Olympic broadcast, which was watched
the millennium’s answer to the Gold Rush of
by almost every Chinese household. Millions of
1848 in San Francisco, where 300,000 prospectors
Chinese saw their first watch advertisement and
panned the American River for gilty pleasures.
Rado’s über-brand status in China’s embryonic
But scratch beneath China’s gold-plated
market was sealed.
veneer and you’ll find a much duller sheen—if
at all. Industry predictions that the world’s most
Although far from embryonic, China’s luxury
sales. The retail reality, however, is that only the
market is still in nascent stages—or the first wave,
populous nation could be the ultimate shopping
number one brands reap financial payload, leaving
as industry watchers term it—compared to other
destination for luxury brands have amounted to,
the second best in the red. This intense competi-
more mature ones. And while it’s taking baby
well, close to nothing for many.
tion is a result of high growth markets that are
steps towards a more developed luxury market, it
From Armani to Zegna, any brand worth their
still at a nascent stage. Yes, the rich in China are
also has hurdles to cross, not least China’s steep
designer paper bags, their hallowed initials and
willing to buy, but they will only settle for the best
import duties and value added taxes: Luxury
famous monograms have already made their
mostly because their purchases are status-driven.
retailers have to charge up to 35 per cent more for
presence felt in China. But here’s the reality
This is probably why brands like Montblanc and
their products than most other markets. Given
check: Brands like Paul Smith and Moschino
Rado seem to be faring better. Bespoke station-
that obstacle, consumers would logically look to
boutiques first opened in 2002. Fast-forward five
ers since 1906, Montblanc is synonymous with
purchases that have maximum status symbolism,
years of strong national growth and you would
luxury pens that are status symbols the Chinese
and this emphasis precludes second-tier luxury
imagine they’d be shrieking eureka. Yet that’s
market embraces wholeheartedly. This affinity
brands. This may sound a caveat to second-tier
not happening.
explains why after being distributed in China for
luxury retailers, but the outlook isn’t pretty for
While luxury retailers aren’t hemorrhaging
10 years, Montblanc’s first boutique in China in
niche brands as well. An independent watchmaker
losses, Eric Douilhet, president of Bluebell (Asia),
2005 blossomed to 50 within a year. And almost
like Philippe Dufour or quirky fashion house Paul
who operates both boutiques, griped in a Seattle
by association, Montblanc’s new line of luxury
Smith may have cult followings in Europe, United
Times article that he was expecting sales to be
timepieces have been very well received even
States, and pockets of Asia, but they simply lack
much higher and losses less severe. It’s a case of
though they lack the snooty seal of tradition from
the much needed status symbol cachet.
over-optimism, he explains. Not that economic
the world of horology.
optimism in China is misplaced; it just isn’t proving
Despite sobering facts like brand juggernaut
Rado is another brand that has reached a status
Cartier just beginning to break even in China, and
to be the proverbial land of milk and honey as yet.
symbol plateau thanks to its long commitment in
the burn rate for luxury companies reminiscent of
A Goldman Sachs report estimates that China will
China. Ask any Mainland Chinese baby boomer
dot com days, the gamble is still on. The carrot far
be the top consumer in luxury goods by 2015. In
to name a luxury timepiece brand and they will
ahead could be this statistical morsel: China had
the meantime, like any burgeoning market, there
recite the two Rs: Rolex and Rado. With more than
320,000 millionaires at the end of 2005, a 6.7 per
are eccentricities.
20 years presence, Rado ran its first watch adver-
cent increase from the year earlier, according to a
One of which is the luxury retail mentality in
tisement in the Wen Wei Bao newspaper back in
Merrill Lynch and Cap Gemini report. Figures that
China. With an enormous retail potential, China
1979 and followed with simple television commer-
would make the 2.7 million in the United States
fools luxury retailers into the belief that they could
cials. But it was the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics that
and 448,000 in the United Kingdom seem like
simply set up a storefront and get swarmed with
seared the brand onto the collective conscious-
ageing gold rush towns
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OBSESSION
34
So much can change in the space of a day. Just
exercise it. More importantly, they understand
One industry that’s seen a huge increase in
ask Al Gore. Twenty-four hours after accepting the
that they can change the way companies operate
environmental consciousness is the beauty sector.
Oscar for his global warming documentary, An
by voting with their wallets.
Long a target of environmental and public health
Inconvenient Truth, news emerged that the former
Take the Toyota Prius. There is nothing sexy
groups, beauty companies have received flak for
vice-president of the United States and Hollywood’s
about it—it’s as plain as the next Corolla carry-
practically every aspect of their business—from
moral mouthpiece wasn’t quite practising what
ing that average family of four. Yet, it’s the It
animal testing to the manufacturing of their
he had been fervently preaching. A little-known
car for the in crowd—Leonardo di Caprio has
plastic packaging. Of course, there has been a very
group based in his home state, the Tennessee
one, as does Cameron Diaz. The sexy quotient
small group of organic and eco-friendly brands
Centre for Policy Research, looked up Mr Gore’s
of a Prius has nothing to do with its looks—it’s
like Dr Hauschka and Jurlique, but for the most
energy bills for his large home in Nashville. They
what’s inside that counts. A hybrid car, the
part, commercially available luxury brands have
found that in 2006, the Gore household consumed
Prius boasts an electric motor and a gasoline
all but ignored calls for them to reduce energy
221,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity—more than
engine. An onboard computer decides which is
consumption and find more renewable resources.
20 times the national annual average.
more efficient and switches seamlessly back and
That is, until now.
The good news is, whatever Mr Gore’s personal
truths may be, his documentary has contrib-
forth. The result: no (or less) fuel emissions and
reduced fuel consumption.
The Estee Lauder g roup, which ow ns 25
brands—including Aveda, Orig ins, MAC and
uted to raising awareness for global warming
Similarly, the Daimler-Chrysler/Mercedes
Aramis—employs 30 staff in its environment,
like never before. In the space of a year, the world
Smart Car is already a massive hit in Europe,
health and safety division to look at ways to reduce
has suddenly sat up and taken notice. And when
Australia and some parts of Asia because it gets up
energy consumption, find new energy sources and
newly minted celebrity environmentalists like
to 29 km/l (diesel) and is so small you could fit it in
seek ways to use post-consumer and sustainable
Richard Branson pledge US$3 billion to fight
a motorcycle parking lot. More than 750,000 Smart
materials in each brand. So far, the company says
global warming, everyone—great and small—has
cars have been sold and the company is scram-
it has reduced its company-wide power consump-
renewed conviction for saving the Earth.
bling to launch it in the United States.
tion by about 10 per cent since 1998—the equiva-
At a more immediate level, this new attitude
But it’s the Lexus Hybrid SUV that’s sealed the
lent of them planting 1.9 million trees. Later this
towards env ironmental consciousness has
hybrid car’s cool quotient for those with cash to
year, it will open a 50 per cent solar-powered plant
trickled down to the way consumers consume.
spare. The new RX 400h essentially redefines the
in New Jersey where many of its fragrances will
Savvy consumers are becoming more civically
midsize luxury SUV market while raising aware-
be manufactured. Meanwhile, in conjunction
motivated—they understand the might of the
ness and acceptance of hybrid gas-electric vehicles
with the launch of its new antioxidant skin-care
buying power they wield and are not afraid to
among luxury car and SUV buyers.
treatment, Cell Defense, Lancôme is supporting
IS THIS THE NEW COLLECTIVE ATTITUDE THAT COULD REALLY CHANGE THE WORLD?
STORY
ANNE T TE TAN
I M AGES
L E X U S + R I C H A R D H A R B A U G H © A.M.P.A.S
SAV V Y CONSUMERS A RE
BECOMING MORE CIVICA L LY
MOT I VAT ED —T HE Y
UNDERS TA ND T HE MIGH T
OF T HE BU Y ING POW ER
T HE Y W IEL D A ND A RE NOT
A F R AID TO E X ERCISE IT
CarbonFund.org, an organisation that focuses on
grown foods to pass their lips. Now the emphasis
renewable energy and reforestation projects. For
is changing to “local foods”. In his 2000 memoir,
each of the first 10,000 products sold, Lancôme
Coming Home To Eat: The Pleasures and Politics of
will plant one tree through CarbonFund. The root
Local Foods, author and ethnobotanist Gary Paul
of the idea stemmed from Lancôme spokesmodel
Nabhan asked: “If you send it halfway around the
Elettra Wiedemann, who wanted to offset the
world before it is eaten, an organic food still may
environmental impact of the travel she does for
be ‘good’ for the consumer, but is it ‘good’ for the
the brand.
food system?”
Lesser environmentally conf licted mortals
Nabhan’s question reflects the new mindset of
(without multi-million-dollar cosmetic companies
consumers, who are finally beginning to put the
behind them) can buy carbon or pollution credits
world before themselves. As recently as a year
from companies like TerraPass. These credits help
ago, few would have thought about how their food
reduce emissions of climate-changing gases not
purchases might affect “the food system”, how
by clogging your tailpipe but by reducing pollut-
their travel miles could be tearing apart the ozone,
ants from other sources, like power plants, in an
or how their face cream could be impacting the
amount equivalent to that produced by your car or
number of trees in the world. To be sure, there
airplane flight. If you buy a TerraPass, the money
is a sense of romanticism in all this do-gooding,
will be used to purchase smog allowances on the
much like how a volunteer seldom admits that
Chicago Climate Exchange. The Climate Exchange
he benefits from the experience as much as or
allows polluting companies that produce less than
more than his charge. Perhaps the point is that
a certain amount of airborne pollutants to sell
world attitudes are finally changing, even if it has
credits to other companies that then allow them
been prodded and nudged along by conf licted
to go over the limit. TerraPass also invests buyers’
politicians-turned-Hollywood players. Based on
money in power-generating wind farms and other
their buying habits, it seems there is an increas-
projects that reduce air pollution.
ing number of people who truly care about where
The principle of reducing pollution caused
by travel has also hit the food industry. Once,
conscious eaters would only allow organically
their purchases come from and how it affects the
future of the planet for generations to come.
That has to be a good thing
jump for the same period. Annual production
replacement for the 360M, which also capitalised
output of 5,650 units is also at an all-time high
on the same technology.
and is significantly more than the artificially-
Ferrari also makes a four-tier range of sport-
limited production of 3,500 units, as imposed by
scars and the next in line for the new technol-
former CEO Luca di Montezemolo in the late 1990s.
ogy was their large, luxurious 2+2 seater, the
Now president of Ferrari SpA and chairman of
612 Scaglietti, which replaced the 456 GTA. Most
FIAT, Montezemolo has been replaced by Jean Todt,
recently, their premium sports coupe, the 599
Ferrari’s racing director who has helmed the races
GTB, replaced the 575M. Ferrari’s fourth line is the
since 1996.
legendary, limited production, carbon-fibre model
Never a brand to forego any chance to flash,
When the late Enzo Ferrari founded Scuderia
Ferrari—loosely translated to mean Team Ferrari—
called the Enzo, which replaced the F50. The
Ferrari commissioned a small series of 60 special
company hasn’t announced a celebratory car for
Ferrari 612 Scagliettis and organised a myriad of
their 60th birthday, but don’t write it off yet.
events that includes a round-the-world relay drive
Besides technological advances to help keep
in a specially prepared Ferrari Enzo to commem-
the brand ahead, Ferrari’s cult longevity is also
orate their 60th anniversary. (In 1997, when it
borne of advertisements—or rather the dearth
celebrated its 50th birthday, the car marque intro-
of them. Up until Shell Oils came into the picture
duced the epoch-making Ferrari F50.)
in the 1930s, its business model was to spend
In Singapore—the first Asian stop of the global
up to half of their annual profits on their racing
relay, Ferrari’s agent, Hong Seh Motors, organised
team and never on advertising, which is borne by
an accompanying convoy of 25 Ferraris that made
their concessionaires in each individual country.
a short tour of the island before arriving at the
Instead, Ferrari concentrated all its resources on
Fullerton Hotel for a welcome lunch last month.
Formula One racing and through that link has
The celebrations adjourned to St. James Power
elevated the brand to its current status. As long
Station, where the relay crew left for their onward
as it maintains this important but tenuous link
journey to China and Japan later that night.
between road and race cars, Ferrari remains the
in 1929 as an indie sponsor to auto-racing and a
That it is an incredibly successful business
manufacturer of race cars, little did he know that
is without doubt. But it’s hard to imagine how
envy of the automotive world.
And it’s a formula that has been put paid to. Up
he would build a legend and leave a legacy.
the cult of Ferrari has evolved beyond its found-
until 2004, Ferrari has been on top of the game.
All that nearly didn’t happen since he was never
ing mission statement to merely make premium
Although Lamborghini, which does not race in
enamoured with entering the business of produc-
racing cars. These days, the brand has evolved
Formula One and delivered some 2,000 cars last
ing legal road cars in 1946, a move that was neces-
into something of an international obsession—
year, is hot on its wheels in the supercar stakes,
sary due to the dire Italian economy following the
even grandmothers watch F1 races in bars in Italy;
Ferrari has already shifted into top gear, redou-
Second World War. Ferrari himself never disguised
it is a pop cultural phenomenon referenced by pop
bling efforts to promote its brand status.
his distaste for his customers. He thought they
figures, such as the cover designs of Brit singer
Key to this is to work on the user-friendliness of
were buying his cars for their prestige factor rather
Jamiroquai’s third album, Travelling Without Moving,
their cars. For example, despite carrying 620 bhp, a
than for their performance. That amounted to the
and single, Virtual Insanity, owe much to the
figure that not too long ago would look respectable
ultimate insult for someone whose true passion lay
stallion crest. Not only that, Ferraris have become
for a Formula One car, the 330 km/h Ferrari 599
in racing and who prided himself on the technical
the prerogative of the rarefied few.
GTB is completely safe for the owner to use within
prowess and genius of those lean mean machines.
With brand extension into non-car related
sane limits. And on the styling front, Ferrari has
Yet ever since his first commercial model, the
merchandise sold worldwide, such as laptops,
also recognised that sex does sell and to that end
125 S, was unveiled in 1947, Ferrari’s cars have
pens and high-tech bicycles, each bearing the
the latest 599 GTB and F430 coupes positively ooze
made it on the the list of some of the world’s most
stallion insignia, Ferrari has been mindful of and
such appeal.
desirable automobiles to own and drive, a short-
meticulous in cultivating its hallowed universe.
And as much as Ferrari has pushed the horse-
hand for the ultimate status symbol, and the Patek
And few would argue that Montezemolo is the
power envelop to eye-popping and ear deafening
Philippe and Breguet of cars. Of course, it helps
man behind the fortunes of the new Ferrari
levels to stay ahead in top-of-the-mind aware-
that Ferrari road cars benefit from the magnificent
company. Industry watchers concur that the old
ness, they will have to continue their winning
styling of design houses like Pininfarina, Scaglietti,
way of doing business would not have seen the
ways. So 2007 is going to be a watershed year with
Bertone, Touring, Ghia, and Vignale—all of which
company through the millennium.
added the style component to the company’s
a brand new racing team with new drivers, Kimi
Starting as Enzo’s assistant in 1973, Monte-
Raikkonen and Felipe Massa, in the hot seats.
technical substance, rendering it a marriage made
zemolo was appointed the racing team’s direc-
While the outcome of this year’s Formula One
in highway heaven.
tor two years later. By 1991, he was already at the
championship is anybody’s guess, the public can
helm of the company. One of the most significant
rest assured that Ferrari is playing to win—and
not just at the racetrack
Sixty years on, the Maranello-based Italian
sports car company continues to race ahead of its
changes to Ferrari’s body of works was in how
competitors, on and off tracks. Sure, last year may
Montezemolo pioneered the introduction of a new
have seen Ferrari-sponsored Michael Schumacher
way to build Ferraris using aluminium technol-
retire after his world record seven-time champi-
ogy. (The original Ferraris were always based on a
onship run; and at the 2006 Formula One season,
steel space-frame chassis covered with a gorgeous
the car marque may have missed out on both
fibreglass body.)
the constructor’s and driver’s title, two years in a
Beginning with the entry-level model, the
row after an incredible five-year winning streak.
Ferrari 360 Modena, the unique aluminium space-
Yet these events seem to have done nothing to
frame construction with an outer bodyshell (also
dent Ferrari’s balance sheets.
made of aluminium) gave the new car a robust-
Their robust 20 0 6 f inancial f ig ures saw
ness that exceeded the previous model. And
revenues reach €1,447 million, or a 12.3 per cent
despite an increase in size, it was lighter than the
improvement over 2005. Net profits also hit
F355 it replaced and was, perhaps, the lightest car
€183 million, which translates into a 17 per cent
in its class in those days. Then came the F430, the
OBSESSION
CRAZY HORSE MAY HAVE RODE INTO THE SUNSET, BUT 60 YEARS ON, THE GALLOPING
STALLION THAT IS FERRARI REMAINS ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST ENDURING AND
DESIRABLE ICONS
ANDRE L AM
FERRARI
STORY
I M AGES
36
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37
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39
OBSESSION
38
SOMETHING KINETIC IS HAPPENING IN THE ELITE TIER OF SUPERHOMES. DESPITE
SURGING PRICES, THEY ARE GETTING SNAPPED UP LIKE HOTEL ROOMS DURING
FASHION WEEK
MERVIN CHUA+PE TER KOH
S C G L O B A L D E V E L O P M E N T S + H I L L V I E W A P A R T M E N T S + S O H O J E W E L + M AY F A I R M A N S I O N
STORY
I M AGES
The stellar system that categorises luxury hotels
used to comprise five stars. That apogee has since
been surpassed by six-star salubrious sojourns.
Likewise, the luxury ceiling— and price tags—of
homes have also found a higher plane. Just last
year, Forbes Magazine found one property in excess
of US$100 million. This year, three more have been
added. Almost globally, prime pieces of real estate
have seen their value surge. This swelling at the
top tier of the real estate market is a simple matter
of demand and supply in which the means of
elite buyers, bolstered by global economic growth,
has grown handsomely. So what was once a glint
On the Pacific seaboard of America lies another
in their eye is now a discretionary purchase of
jewelled home in San Francisco. Who would have
massive curb appeal.
One factor to the sales surge is that with major
thought the higgledy-piggledy of gold prospectors
would give way to one of the most picturesque
real estate firms going global, it reduces a lot of
cities in the world? You can see all the changes
the risk involved in cross border property invest-
from the perch on Russian Hill where the Hillview
ments. In addition, some investors are seeing their
Apartment is sited. Long stretches of f loor-to-
property investments giving better returns than
ceiling windows in this three-bed bedroom/three
their equity and bond investments…so why not
bathroom apartment look out onto San Francisco’s
mix business with pleasure?
iconic landmarks such as Alcatraz, the Bay Bridge
The global common denominator for these top
and Coit Tower.
tier homes is the international cadre of buyers.
Whether it’s the scenery from within the
Not restricted to homes on the hill in their native
hardwood floored apartment or from its patio, your
land, today’s elite homeowners will cross borders
perspective is panoramic urban chic from dawn to
to find their Elysium. Case in point, the Plantation
dusk. The US$3.25 million Hillview Apartments
Penthouse in Phuket, with its relatively affordable
have been remodelled and luxuriously appointed
US$1.44 million price tag, has a pool of prospec-
with granite countertops, but the best part isn’t its
tive buyers keen on its calm. Sited within a gated
in-home fitness centre or pool—it’s that it is move-
community, this hardwood-floored penthouse
in ready.
boasts breathtaking views overlooking Kamala
Apparently, New York isn’t the birthplace of
Bay, just minutes from the seaside village on the
million-dollar apartments—England holds that
island’s prime west coast. Its manicured garden
honour. Just across the pond in London is the
does a mellow merge with the pristine rainfor-
Mayfair Mansion. This US$30.2 million agglomer-
est at the edges of its 4,842 sq ft parameter. Inside,
ated home used to be a medley of apartments until
this duplex is seamless luxury as the fully kitted
its developer fused it into a single mansion Bruce
kitchen feeds the guests waiting in the enter-
Wayne would feel comfortable with. In all, this
tainment room. Your guests could also lap up
London cavern measures 11,500 sq ft, fronted by a
the ocean views from its four bedrooms or watch
historic façade. Within, you’ll find seven spacious
glowing sunsets from the extensive terraces and
bedrooms with bathrooms, a landscaped garden,
outdoor bathtub.
indoor pool, and that very important London
Quaint as Phuket may be; it doesn’t have Central
Park. New York, the fourth largest conurbation in
commodity—private parking.
Soon, at the pinnacle of Patterson Hill in
the world, holds many of the most sought after
Singapore will stand T H E
properties. One of its gems is the Soho Jewel
ary property development to date by
MARQ.
The most visionSC GLOBAL
sprawling out in 7,437 sq ft of resplendence. At
DEVELOPMENTS,
US$26.5 million, this duplex unit has six bedrooms
be sheathed in a reflective veneer that won’t just
The Marq At Paterson Hill will
and bathrooms, two powder rooms and two wood-
plainly reflect its environ but alter its ambience.
burning fireplaces. Flooded with sunlight from all
Billed as “mansions in the sky”, every apartment is
four exposures, the penthouse loft with hardwood
rimmed by a 15-metre private lap pool on each of
flooring also boasts an onzen-style hot tub in the
its 24-storeys. A first for any development—locally
master suite with walk-in closet, a large, separate
and globally—the individual pools are cantilev-
home office and an outdoor terrace.
ered from the building and offers a liquid vista of
the Singapore skyline.
In its penthouse block, each unit sprawls to
4,500 sq ft and is inlaid with silver Travetino
marble flooring—another first for any condominium development in Singapore—not to mention
Miele Kitchen appliances and a massive Bulthaup
kitchen island. The tactile Jung light-switches
illuminate the bleached oak timber bedroom floors
and the steam and shower room in every unit.
Elementally, The Marq is three 24-storey blocks
comprising 66 units on a 125,000 sq ft compound.
Its gestalt, however, is elevated luxury
W H I T E G O L D E A R R I N G S W I T H PAV É D I A M O N D S , F R O M B V L G A R I
OBJECTS OF DESIRE
JEWELLERY THAT NEVER GOES OUT OF STYLE
PHOTOGR APHY
MERVIN CHUA
ART DIRECTION
ALE X GOH
40
+
41
LI M E LI GHT FI R E WO R KS R I N G W ITH D I AM ON DS, FRO M PI AGE T
M U LT I - D R O P E M E R A L D E A R R I N G S , F R O M T I F FA N Y & C O .
W H I T E G O L D R I N G W I T H PAV É D I A M O N D S , F R O M B V L G A R I
GREY PEARL EARRINGS WITH DIAMONDS, FROM CARTIER
D I A M O N D N E C K L A C E , F R O M T I F FA N Y & C O .
48
49
DESIGN
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the Mezzadro, Castiglioni’s iconic cantilevered
plastic bucket chair; the ironic modularity of Joe
Colombo’s Birillo high-stool; and the brutish
curves of Giuseppe Terragni’s Sant’Elia armchair.
And it was this winning formula of humour and
creativity that ensured the brand a certain longevWhen asked why it was that Italian designers
ity while enchanting design aficionados—never an
are still at the forefront of industrial design in the
easy bunch to please. Who can forget that it was
twenty-first century, Antonio Citterio’s answer
the Zanotta alumni trio of De Pas, D’Urbino and
sums up succinctly the reason behind the Italian
Lomazzi who were behind the wildly successful
Design Miracle.
jelly-bean coloured range of inflatable armchairs.
“Where you have a factory and production facil-
And the infamous beanbag that rested on many
ities for something, then you will also have the
shag-piles worldwide? It was the work of another
design. In Italy, we do not have good designs for
triumvirate—Gatti, Paolini and Teodoro.
electrical and consumer goods because we don’t
But more than anything else, Zanotta is the
have the factories to produce them,” says the
perfect showcase that creativity sells. In fact,
Italian architect.
Aurelio Zanotta himself understood that he and
All of which explains the volume and sheer
his designers were integral to the design zeitgeist
depth of work that has emerged from Italy since
of that time. “During the 1950s and 1960s, the
the end of the Second World War. In fact, many of
[Italian] furniture and furnishing accessories
the great furniture houses date from that era. Case
industry was bubbling with creativity. Some
in point: Zanotta.
firms which currently are leaders in the indus-
THE ITALIANS REALLY DO IT BETTER. AND NOWHERE IS THIS MORE EVIDENT THAN IN
THE WORKS OF DESIGN MARQUE ZANOTTA
JASON HAHN
Z A N O T TA
STORY
I M AGES
trial design field and have gained international
In 1954, riding the aggressive industrial build-
stature were sharp enough then to grasp the
up and rebuilding wave that followed a disas-
crux of the design and manufacturing problem. It
trous war, Aurelio Zanotta started a company that
was possible to produce both profits and culture, at
would eventually become a mini-powerhouse of
the same time.”
Italian industrial design. Like his contemporaries
It comes as no surprise then that the accolades
Cesare Cassina and Adriano Olivetti, Zanotta was
are piled as high as a Zanotta bookshelf. Many of
an entrepreneur as well as a design aficionado.
its designs have also found permanent homes in
To his cause, he gathered a top-notch cabal of
the collections of nearly 40 museums around the
Italy’s brightest designers to create household
world including New York’s Museum of Modern
furniture. Among them were a young Achille
Art, Paris’ Pompidou Centre and the Vitra Design
Castiglioni, Marco Zanuso, Alessandro Mendini
Museum in Weil am Rhein.
and Ettore Sottsass.
Not that the company has ever felt content to
His vision was both prosaic but arrogant: To
rest on its designer laurels. In fact, it recognises
create pieces of tomorrow that would last beyond
the importance of new young blood to re-energise
today. While the technological advances made
the company. And of the young Turks that have
from the mid 1950s the 1960s were a boon to
breathed a new lease of life into the company, Ross
the Italian’s quest, what helped his collection
Lovegrove, Mark Robson and Roberto Barbieri have
stand out was that there were equal doses of
probably been the most prolific, creating a series of
humour and innovation. And examples abound:
intriguing organic forms: Lovegrove’s polyurethane
amoebic Brasilia chaise and stool, and Robson’s
sinuous Fly are already modern classics.
In an era where ‘cult’ is shamelessly applied (or
self-applied) to just about any piece of furniture,
it pays to concentrate on Zanotta’s formidable
half-century body of work: Sometimes intellectual, sometimes ironic, often tongue-in-cheek, but
always immaculately lined. These pieces are a
timely reminder of the value and enduring appeal
of a well made chair, bed, sofa... But if nothing
else, they’re the perfect accessory for sitting
pretty in. Almost 53 years on, that’s got to count
for something
Z A N O T TA I S AVA I L A B L E F R O M S PA C E ,
9 R A F F L E S B O U L E VA R D , L E V E L 2 M I L L E N I A WA L K ,
T E L : 6 415 0 0 0 0
Trapped in a Brussels bank for decades before
H I T T H E B O O K S Serious sculpture collecting,
E N J O Y T H E E N D E A V O U R Any serious
being “discovered” in an unidentified mansion,
like collecting other forms of art, is also cerebral.
collector poll will tell you that collecting, be it
Constantin Brancusi’s Bird In Space literally took
While allowing the work to speak to you visually
sculpture, painting or even performance art, is an
flight on a summer’s night in 2005 when it became
and emotionally, it is essential that you are familiar
enterprise borne out of serious personal passion.
the most expensive sculpture sold at auction at the
with the artist’s history and the significance of the
Invest the time, enjoy the work and live with your
Christie’s Impressionist and Modern Art auction.
piece. Plow through gallery catalogues, reference
pieces. And if the work slips through your hands,
Purchased by an unidentified bidder via phone at
materials and exhibition reviews to know what
fret not—simply wait. Mogul Eli Broad and one of
a staggering US$27.5 million ($45.7m), more than
the experts feel about the work. That might help
the savviest collectors around waited 11 years for
double its pre-sale estimation, Brancusi’s seminal
shape your understanding of the work’s valuation.
a David Smith sculpture to enter the market after
work in grey marble set a new benchmark for
Understanding the work’s provenance in terms
being outbid on a similar Smith work more than a
sculpture sales.
of where it has been and who formerly owned it
decade ago
are all important elements of the narrative that a
potential owner must weave.
that a sculpture actually anchored the sales from
Pay particular attention to auction records
a major auction (the sale of Bird in Space comprised
which often indicate the level of recognition
almost 20 per cent of the total earnings). More
within the art market. Prominent American art
importantly, it debunks the traditional perception
collector Eileen Cohen also notes that it is always
that sculpture is painting’s poorer cousin when it
more prudent to “know the artwork” before “you
comes to art sales.
get to know the artist”. After all, the process of
So why have sculptures long been shelved in
the shadows while paintings and even prints and
collecting should always focus on the work and
not the personality behind it.
photographs bask in the limelight? Sculptures
don’t usually make headlines primarily because
W H AT P R I C E , A R T ? Check back through at
paintings are often considered to be visually
least five years of sales or auction records to see if
more accessible, are easier to install and basically,
the work’s price has held steady or seen disturbing
there are just a lot more paintings circulating the
fluctuations. A level of consistency reflects the
art markets.
strength of the collector base. Art consultants
That said, the Brancusi sale coupled with a
like Elizabeth von Habsburg from Masterson Gurr
highly respectable sale of Alberto Giacometti’s
Johns might see that art is “now a distinct asset
Femme Leoni for US$8.4 million has indicated that
class and diversification strategy, even for the
sculptures over the past few years are riding on
ordinary buyer”, but ultimately, it is never wise to
the wave of impressive sales in an art market that
collect a sculpture based purely on the valuation
has become red hot.
and supposed investment potential. Galleries
Scenes at major art fairs could almost be
and art dealers still look out for collectors who are
mistaken for massive blowout sales at Walmart,
serious about the artistic quality and integrity of
prompting publishing magnate and one of the
the work as opposed to pure fiscal interests.
world’s top collectors, Michael Ringier, to make
the following comment about Art Basel Miami:
R U N AG A I N S T T H E G R A I N Cohen advises
“The opening of the doors was like the beginning
against playing the competitive game by trying
of the New York Marathon.”
to pick up “hot” works or “sculptures du jour”
Thanks to the “new hedge fund billionaires”
because you often run the risk of getting into a
looking to expand their already impressive art
bidding quagmire. Instead, research pieces that
collections, the high end art market has enjoyed
are sometimes left over or pay attention to works
unprecedented sales. Most recently, the art circle
that have not received quite so much attention.
has been buzzing over record mogul David Geffen’s
Cohen herself started with African sculpture
whopping US$143.5 million sale of two post-war
long before it was considered chic to do so. She
American pieces by Jasper Johns and Willem de
then branched out into more contemporary (and
Kooning. Ten years ago, even a top end Picasso or
more fashionable) art. Trendy pieces are often
Van Gogh wouldn’t have been able to fetch such
more susceptible to speculation for profit gains.
prices. So the poorer cousin has also benefited
Edgier sculptures which can seem less accessible
from the sky-rocketing prices as sculptures, in
might at times be underpriced and perfect for
recent years, have seen buoyant public attention
the picking.
and valuation.
What does that mean for new collectors—those
looking to start small but respectable collections?
Does it even make sense to start with sculptures
given the rising prices and often diminished
stature it has in the art world? Ultimately, the
purchase of art is almost entirely dependent on
personal tastes. And a sculpture, if one has the
installation space for it, can prove to be an important starting piece for any collector. So before
sinking in major cash for that drool-worthy sculpture, bear these tips in mind:
ALBE R TO GI ACO ME T TI, FE M ME LEON I
Besides being a record breaker, the sale was
significant for other reasons: It was a rare occasion
ARTSCENE
NO LONGER THE POOR COUSIN TO PAINTINGS, SCULPTURES ARE SLOWLY APPEARING
ON ART COLLECTORS’ RADARS
JOSEPH LIM
CORBIS
I M AGES
C O N S TA N T I N B R A N C U S I , B I R D I N S PA C E
STORY
50
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51
to the naïve and dumped at yard sales. That could
possibly explain the ever growing popularity of
the Antique Roadshow on major channels including BBC in the UK and PBS in the US. After all, everyone loves a trailer park treasure where a ratty doll
one inherited turns out to be a Victorian collectible worth tens of thousands of pounds or a still
life languishing in the garage really a masterpiece
It’s an all too familiar plot line. World famous
Nothing encapsulates this tension between
most unexpected place—farmhouse, living room
trash or treasure better than the documentary
of a suburban family or tossed aside at a weekend
Who the %#$@ is Jackson Pollack?. It tells of retired
yard sale and dismissed by the uninitiated.
American truck driver Teri Horton who bought a
The Thomas Crowne Affair and countless other B-
seemingly big old ugly painting that comprised
grade movies have played on that plot in various
of a bunch of squiggly lines and paint drips from
manifestations. Likewise, there are just as many
a thrift shop for US$5. He’s later told by an art
stories about works once lost during great wars
teacher friend that it could very possibly be a
recovered and auctioned off for millions. Works
work by abstract expressionist and the progeni-
lost by Jewish families—from the Schieles to
tor of auto-painting, Jackson Pollock. Apparently,
Klimts—in Europe, no thanks to the Nazi regime,
the documentary’s title are the very first words
continue to be a hot point of discussion in the art
uttered by Horton when told of the possibility.
world and beyond.
This sets Horton on a journey to seek authentica-
Why the fascination with lost works? Apart
+
53
tion for the work as a true blue Pollock.
from our basic curiosity for things that cannot be
While Horton continues to fend the sneers and
accounted for, our love for lost art stems from a
jeers of the snooty art world in a bid for authen-
variety of factors and says a great deal about the
ticity, there was little doubt about the provenance
ARTSCENE
52
from a renowned Dutch painting school.
masterpiece is stolen and later recovered in a
human psyche.
of two Fra Angelico works found in an English
Everyone loves a good story about theft—and
pensioner’s home last year. Considered to be lost
art theft is one of the most lucrative illegal enter-
during the Napoleonic wars, these two small but
prises in the world. In fact, it’s right up there with
important works by the Florentine artist—a key
drug trafficking. Annually, over US$10 billion is lost
figure in the Renaissance movement—were appar-
through stolen masterpieces, often secretly traded
ently hanging behind the door of a spare room in
in black markets around the globe.
a house belonging to one late Jean Preston. Preston
Beyond Edvard Munch’s The Scream, countless
was a curator of historic manuscripts in California
other works are mysteriously f loating around,
and apparently paid a humble £200 for the works
untraceable and unseen. Pieces are lost through
in the 1960s. When she passed away, her friend
a myriad of scams and strategies—a priceless
Michael Liversidge, a Bristol University art histo-
Paul Cezanne hoisted through the skylight of
rian, noticed the works and immediately credited
Oxford University’s Ashmoleum Museum in 2000
it to Fra Angelico. The works were valued at £1
or a Francis Bacon stolen in broad daylight at the
million and have since been auctioned off.
Neue National Galerie in Berlin that same year. We
It is all inherently tied to the rags to riches
chortle at the shameful security and are thrilled
myth. Or perhaps a hopeless optimism that by
by the daring transgression of the feat.
Perhaps even more fascinating are works that
some sheer twist of fate and unforeseen series
of events, a secret masterpiece resides with us.
have just left the art radar, untracked because no
Lost Leonardos, buried Braques and recovered
one recognised them for their worth or unwit-
Rembrandts—it all seems a little too unreal and
tingly left in attics, basements or just bequeathed
a point for ridicule. We might scoff at suburban
mums who horde things in their storerooms or
retirees who scour thrift stores and Salvation
Army centres for “great finds”. But the alleged
Pollock and Fra Angelico stories are enough to keep
us wondering if that watercolour from grandma
could perhaps be worth a little more than the
apparent thrift store price it has been assigned
ART THIEVERY IS MORE WIDESPREAD THAN EVER. SO HOLD ON TO THAT PAINTING IN
YOUR STOREROOM—IT COULD BE WORTH MILLIONS
JOSEPH LIM
CORBIS
STORY
I M AGES
FROM VIBRANT BRIGHTS TO SOMBER SHADES, THERE’S A COLOUR FOR EVERYONE THIS
OBSESSION
SEASON
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23
I N T R I C AT E B L O O M S
S I LV E R A N D G O L D F L O R A L
L AC E E M B RO I DE RE D
B A BY D O L L D R E S S
FROM BURBERRY
COLOUR SHARP
PINSTRIPE GREY SUIT
M AT C H E D W I T H A F L O R A L
P R I N T E D V- N E C K T E E
AND SCARF FROM
BURBERRY
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AT T H E L I N K .
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S W E AT E R F R O M
BURBERRY
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63
VOYAGE
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There are experiences only the trundle of a
locomotive can produce. It is a combination of the
clickety cadence of steel wheels on a jointed track
and the strobe effect of scenery layering your
mind with travel memories with each mile. Train
travel, in these hustled times, is the most leisurely
immersive journeys one can take. The amble of the
cliff. As the train passes the infamous bridge over
trains remains the last resolute stance against the
River Kwai, or Burma-Siam death railway, a killing
manic pace of travel. But not all rail escapes are
field of prisoners of war captured by the Japanese
created equal. As a commodious mode of travel,
during its rampage through Asia—it pulls into the
trains for the most part haul the bulk of human-
river Kwai Station where guided tours await.
ity and its wares, save for a few luxury trains that
The Eastern & Oriental Express carries on
don’t just take you far from the maddening crowd
into Butterworth, Malaysia where coaches take
but re-trace the ancient paths of the maharajas.
you across to Georgetown on the local ferry and
trishaws weave you through many of its quaint
PA L AC E O N W H E E L S She is the grande dame
districts. Typical of colonial charm, evenings on
of rails on the Indian sub-continent. The sojourn
the Oriental Express are sublime affairs with a
of maharajas enroute to their summer palaces.
resident pianist playing ballads in the Bar Car. All
The Palace on Wheels journeys from Delhi, around
too soon your journey ends in Singapore.
Rajasthan with stops in Jaipur, Jodphur and the
mystical Udaipur. Home to the Taj Lake Palace,
T H E B LU E T R A I N Old-world travel meets New
Udaipur is an iridescent white marble palace that
World wines. The Blue Train of South Africa takes
seems to hover on the still waters of Lake Pichola.
a 27-hour journey from Pretoria to Cape Town
ON A PLANE, YOU BREATHE RE-CIRCULATED AIR; ON A CRUISE YOU BATTLE CABIN
FE VER. ON A TR AIN, HOWE VER, YOUR IMMERSIVE JOURNE Y BEGINS WITH ITS
BOARDING WHISTLE
MERVIN CHUA
E A S T E R N + O R I E N TA L E X P R E S S
STORY
I M AGES
Matching the resplendence of the Lake Palace, the
and back through some of South Africa’s most
Palace on Wheels is a 12-car fiefdom of opulence
diverse terrain. While taking in the kaleidoscopic
with twin bedded chambers and butler call service.
scenery, diners are lavished with the New World
At its heart are the two lavish restaurants: The
wines of South Africa. Impeccably prepared meals
Maharaja and The Maharani. Amidst Rajasthani
are balanced with the carefully chosen wines. Pre-
ambience, continental, Chinese, Indian and
boarding lounges begin the experience and once
Rajasthani cuisines are served. Reserved months
on-board, an ever-present butler service takes over.
in advance, the Palace on Wheels is revered like
The Blue Train also embarks on the Durban
an honoured elephant, which in Indian culture
route, which takes its guests from Pretoria to
is the noblest of beings and god-incarnate. This
Zimbali Lodge in Durban. The lodge is home to an
mechanised version rolls out of Delhi primed and
18-hole golf course nestled amidst streams and
polished, and is an event unto itself. It continues
indigenous trees and full spa facilities. But for the
to be a celebration of the continent’s 150 years of
ultimate sojourn in the style of Out of Africa, the
locomotive history.
Blue Train Bakubung Game Lodge Bonanza melds
the colonial charm of train travel with the daily
E A S T E R N & O R I E N TA L E X P R E S S Like an
wildlife exploration drives with seasoned rangers
Asian cinema unfolding in front of your window,
and trackers
the wall-to-ceiling windows of the Eastern &
Oriental Express cabins reveal a spectrum of
South East Asia hidden by its urban sprawl. Your
journey begins at the heart of Bangkok’s urban
implosion, but as the train heads west, time folds
back to the days when trains were the only mode
of travel into the thicket of Thailand’s hinterland.
Soon the urban sprawl gives way to an expanse of
paddy fields, villages and grazing water buffaloes.
As day breaks, the adagio pace of the Eastern
& Oriental Express takes it to Wang Po and deftly
along a wooden trestle viaduct beside a towering
alarming regularity. And we’re not talking towels
Bed, other hotels have cottoned in on the act, like
about the guest who dismantled and took home
the Ritz-Carlton, which packages its beds as The
the entire bathroom sink.
Ultimate Sleep Experience.
Of course, there’s a silver lining to this scenario
And it’s a sign of the times too, when a hotel
played out across hotels worldwide—or at least
like Boston’s Nine Zero is able to extend its guests’
those with amenities worth pinching. Suite
goodwill and memory of the stay by selling online
dreams can be turned into a money-making
not just a dinky bar of soap or even the bedlinen,
business. No one can pinpoint the precise moment
but practically its entire room inventory. The bed-
the humble hotel room morphed into a massive
linen, desk lamps, towels, artwork, sofas, light
global merchandising opportunity, but suffice to
sconces, right down to the Jacuzzi and shower
say, it was probably the entreprenuerial idea of
valves—it’s all for sale. It’s the ultimate trans-
some bright marketing spark, borne of the need to
planting of the hotel experience.
arrest the ruthless pinching of, say, plump terrycotton bathrobes by guests.
And what an idea. By simply branding a hotel’s
gift shop sales. Meanwhile, the entire Westin
Heavenly Bed ensemble—bed and linen et al—
ously that holiday experience back home. In terms
retails for around US$3,500. Last year, the hotel
of brand recall, it doesn’t come any better. And
made nearly US$20 million worth of sales world-
besides, no CEO would want to be caught dead with
wide, which prompted a shift from its traditional
a stolen product in his luggage.
online and catalogue sales to a physical presence
at almost 50 Nordstrom stores across America. It
was an industry first.
“Who would have thought 10 years ago during
VOYAGE
hand-milled soaps to, of course, the ubiquitous
+
selling hotel accessories is a lucrative one. The
Ritz-Carlton’s linen account for 15 per cent of its
crest onto bathrobes, umbrellas or t-shirts, the
These days, it’s a rare hotel that doesn’t boast
65
Make no mistake though. The business of
argument goes that the wearer can recreate vicari-
a gift shop in the lobby. From body creams and
64
Riding on the unexpected success of the Heavenly
here. An urban myth still circulates in hotel circles
NOT JUST THE NIGHT’S STAY, THESE DAYS, JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING IN HOTEL
ROOMS ARE FOR SALE—INCLUDING THE BEDS
JASON HAHN
WESTIN HOTEL+UMA
STORY
I M AGES
Back in the days when jet-setting was a luxury
bathrobe, shelves are groaning under the weight
few could afford, checking into a hotel room in a
of beautifully packaged souvenirs and memora-
the days of multi-coloured, uninviting polyester bedspreads and lumpy mattresses that there
new exotic city seemed like such a massive deal.
bilia from the room. The Ritz-Carlton’s gift shop
would ever be such a huge demand from hotel
Perhaps demands weren’t so precise then, but for
stocks an inventory of monogrammed notepads,
guests to take the bed home?” asks Sue Brush,
many, that was the ultimate indulgence, the icing
photo frames, luggage tags, passport wallets, pen
Westin’s senior vice president.
on the travel-cake: The chocolates on the pillow,
holders and key chains, while the Swissotel and
And if Brush is to be believed, there has been
the impeccable room service, the swimming pool
Uma groups happily peddle their customised
a noticeable impact on Westin’s actual room
and cute cabana boys with the strange accent. It
shampoos and conditioners.
occupancy. The hotel, she claims, has attracted
was a fantasy come alive, the chance to live it up
But the sleeper hit of hotel souvenirs have
and have someone clean up the mess after you
been— sur pr ise, sur pr ise — beds. A nd it all
brands—she specifically names the Hyatt and
walk out the plush doors.
started in 1999 when Westin hotel introduced
Marriott—simply because they have heard so
much about Westin’s new beds.
How things have since changed. Over the years,
the Heavenly Bed into its rooms. An outrageously
hoteliers have slowly realised that scented soap
decadent all-white confection featuring a custom-
bars no longer sate the appetites of any seasoned
designed mattress, five feather down pillows,
traveller in search of the perfect home-away-from-
three layers of 300-thread count Egyptian cotton
home experience. First came requests for a fully
sheets, a lightweight goose down blanket and a
stocked mini-bar. Then it was bedroom slippers,
jacquard down-filled duvet, it was meant as a USP
fluffy bathrobes, aromatherapy bath-salts and
for the hotel. Yet within a week of its introduc-
herbal shampoos. Eventually, flatscreen plasma
tion, the hotel was flooded with private purchase
TVs, higher thread-count linens and pillow menus
orders. These days, the Westin has a dedicated
for asthma, cricked neck or insomnia became basic
special hotline just for the bed, which has, to date,
amenities for any hotel worth its star ratings.
shifted over 35,000 units.
And how these players—especially the high-
In an already crowded industry, where there are
end boutique hotels—scrambled to meet and
an ever increasing number of hotels, each more
anticipate such demands. These days, hotel room
luxurious than the last, competition for footfall is
offerings have became so luxurious and covet-
fierce. And if a marketing and sales strategy works
able that things disappear into the luggage with
for one hotel, chances are, others will, well, steal.
new guests who used to stay with other hotel
For everyone, it’s a win-win situation. Now,
does room service come with that?
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67
GOURMET
66
The spicy kimchi—and its 100-odd varieties—
condition in 1994, seven years after the Ministry
building, Doore is touted as a kimchi boutique.
may have put South Korea on the culinary map,
of Culture and Tourism gazetted it as the first
Prepared with the best ingredients and exquisitely
but the dish of fermented vegetables is really
traditional architectural landmark in Seoul.
fermented, its kimchi is as hot and popular as any
only the tip of the iceberg lettuce. When it comes
The house’s striking architecture boasts 12
to Korean cuisine, a trip to Seoul will reveal the
elegantly decorated dining rooms under its roof.
For the ultimate dining experience, simply
true gastronomic paradise that the North Asian
On its menu is a list of epicurean delights, such
plonk yourself on one of the cushions on the
as Korean-style steamboat, comforting abalone
wooden floor and let your tastebuds be tantalised
country really is.
Korean dramas.
While many of the capital city’s restaurants,
porridge, cold crab with roe marinated in soy
and seduced by a succession of dishes. Chefs here
both modern and traditional, boast fare of the
sauce and juicy spare rib balls served with rice
prepare the food—a harmonious blend of authen-
highest quality prepared with the freshest ingre-
cake. Post-prandial, diners can choose to have tea
tic bold f lavours and lighter modern tastes—
dients, what adds bite to these exquisite flavours
and desserts under the persimmon trees in the
to reflect the seasons and the inherent nutrition
is the essential ingredient in any recipe: The tradi-
well-manicured back garden, which is decorated
of the food.
tional belief that cooking requires true devotion.
kimchi jars snugly cocooned in the ground.
To find the heart and soul of Korean cuisine, pen
Owner Lee Byong Moo explains that his unique
Choose from a list of mouth-watering dishes,
such as glass noodles, ponytail radish kimchi,
these time-honoured or trendy places on your
recipes—inherited from his mother— cannot be
minced meat bulgogi and tofu tempura. After
black book of places to eat.
mastered overnight: Chefs need nearly 10 years
the spread, sit back and relax while Sook Hee
to get the flavours right. Judging by the taste of
Lee, the lady of the house, entertains with
P R E S E R V I N G H E R I TA G E For a repast fit for
each dish, it is evident that flawless execution
a solo per for mance on t radit ional Korean
royalty, head to Phil Kyung Jae—it means respect
and stringent quality are consistently maintained.
musical instruments.
for the elderly in Korean. Housed in an edifice that
And because he wants to preserve tradition and
P H I L K Y U N G J A E ( 7 3 9 -1 S U S E O - D O N G ,
dates back to the 1400s, this historical complex
recreate the way noblemen of yore used to live
G A N G N A M - G U, P H : 4 4 5 2 115 )
is Seoul’s equivalent of Buckingham Palace in
and taste food, Lee sometimes visits the market at
D O O R E ( I N S A - D O N G 8 -7 J O N G R O - G U, P H : 7 3 2 2 9 19 )
England. Constructed by Lee Chon-Soo, the great
2am to source for the freshest ingredients.
grandson of Prince Kwang-Pyeong, who in turn
Not quite as sophisticated, but no less unique,
A N E W W O R L D The Marco Polo WTC Club
descended from the lineage of King Sejong (1398–
is Doore. This quaint traditional eatery is tucked
takes haute cuisine to another level, literally.
1450), this house has been passed down to the
away in one of the small lanes of Insa-dong, one
Occupying the entire 52nd f loor of the Trade
oldest son of each generation for over 500 years.
of the capital’s histor ic enclave f illed with
Tower (World Trade Centre) in southern Seoul’s
Originally constructed to accommodate 99 khan
art galleries and antique shops. Established
trendy business district of Samsong-dong, its fine
or rooms, it was restored to its present pristine
about 50 years ago and housed in a 150-year-old
culinary fare is prized as much as the panoramic
NOT KNOWN AS A FOODIE CAPITAL , SEOUL ACTUALLY BOASTS A SLE W OF FINE
RESTAURANTS THAT ARE WORTH FLYING FOR
AMY VAN
I N T E R C O N T I N E N TA L H O T E L S S E O U L + P H I L K Y U N G J A E
STORY
I M AGES
view of the Han River and the Jamsil Olympic
The aviation-inspired decor paired with modern
located within the backyard of Gallery Hyundai.
Stadium and Complex it offers
furnishings is an ideal spot for pre-dinner cocktails.
Housed in a beautiful 1910 traditional Korean-
Inspired by the Silk Road journeys of the
The menu offers contemporary European fare
style residence belonging to a member of the royal
original globe-trotter Marco Polo, the interi-
such as warm parmesan and walnut bread filled
family in the past, it features both traditional and
ors of t he restaurant, which is r un by t he
with feta cheese; pumpkin and ginger soup with
modern French and Italian cuisine. The fancy
Intercontinental Hotels Seoul—fuses Eastern
vodka, and the hearty feta and rosemary stuffed
menu includes dishes like crabmeat crepe with
with Western elements. And the food it offers—
lamb cutlets.
caviar sauce, steamed abalone and ginkgo nuts
Mediterranean and modern Asian cuisines—
But if you prefer your dinner closer to the
with balsamic sauce, and lamb chops crusted
also reflects the cultural blend. The Mediterranean
ground, the restaurants and cafes housed in
with French mustard and herbs. Adjacent to
menu comprises pizza and pasta dishes, vegeta-
beautifully restored conser ved buildings in
the restaurant is a Russian-style brick building,
bles, fish and crustaceans, liberally f lavoured
the incredibly stylish Samcheong dong area is
home to a small art gallery and a wine cellar with
with olive oil and herbs. The Asian kitchen
worth a trip. Set up by Mikyoung Choi, who used
top-notch wines from France, Italy and Chile.
cooks up a series of Chinese-style items and sea-
to live in Sweden and Italy, 8 Steps, is a trendy
No doubt about it, a food trail in Seoul will be a
food specialties.
restaurant, perched on a little hill, with a charm-
fascinating and eye-opening culinary experience
Leave your wine selection in the expert hands
ing al fresco area. It serves fabulous Italian wines
that rivals those in other gourmet capitals around
of Corinne Eom. The French-speaking chief
and cuisine, such as the highly recommended
the world
sommelier of the Grand Intercontinental Seoul,
pasta with plump oysters. The antipasti platter
MARCO POLO W TC CLUB
Eom previously worked at the Michelin three-star
and wag yu r ibeye steak are also f lawlessly
( WORLD T R AD E CENT RE, PH : 55 9 7620 )
restaurant George Blanc in southern France so you
executed by its Cordon Bleu-trained chefs. End
S K Y L O U N G E (15 9 S A M S E O N G - D O N G ,
know you are in good hands.
the meal with the sublime blueberry cake and fig
G A N G N A M - G U, P H : 3 4 3 0 8 6 3 0 )
Another restaurant that affords feasts for the
eyes and the stomach is Sky Lounge on the 37th
tart displayed at the open kitchen counter. They’re
8 ST EPS (6 3 -24 SAMCHEONG - DONG,
worth the calories.
J O N G N O - G U, P H : 7 3 8 5 8 3 8 )
floor of the Coex Intercontinental Seoul, and just
Also in the vicinity is the chic Do Ga Hun Wine
around the corner from the World Trade Centre.
Restaurant (“a very beautiful house” in Korean)
D O G A H U N W I N E R E S TA U R A N T
(10 9 S A G A N - D O N G J O N G R O - G U, T E L : 3 2 10 2 10 0 )
certain misgivings about the way the full-time
Michelin inspectors go about their assessments.
Indeed, one of the criticisms levelled on the Red
Guide when it was launched in New York was that
S TA R FAC T S
It beggars belief that a tyre company could hold
it favoured French cuisine. Detractors pointed out
The Michelin Guide is
such sway on the F&B industry. When Andre
that half of the restaurants awarded star ratings
broken down into two
Michelin published the first guide of France that
were French-styled.
colours: The Green
bears his name in 1900, his sole purpose was to
Teo says it should only be fair that Michelin
make sure the exclusive set of 3,000 French who
hire inspectors who are familiar with Asian food,
tourism while the Red
owned cars in France didn’t go hungry by listing
culture and methods of cooking. “I wouldn’t be
Guide is for hotels
able to accept French inspectors eating Chinese
and restaurants.
helpful dining recommendations.
Little did he know that today, getting listed
food and telling me what is good. Conversely, they
in the Red Guide as it’s commonly known, has
wouldn’t be too pleased if a Chinese person tells
Michelin covers about
become a matter of life and death. A Michelin star
them what a good foie gras should taste like.”
21 countries with 15
often means a substantial rise in profits and fame,
Another point of contention is Michelin’s
while the mere rumour of losing one could result
judging criteria. Unlike its competitors, the Gault
altogether about 45,000
in suicide.
Milau, which has a 20-point rating system and
establishments—
assesses only food quality, and Zagat, which gives
30,000 hotels and
Europe to America, with the Michelin Guide New
ratings based on consumer reviews, Michelin
15,000 restaurants.
York 2006 and the San Francisco edition in 2007,
takes into account food, service and ambience.
of Michelin inspectors. Till now, that is.
Earlier this year, Jean Luc Naret, director of
+
This may grate with the local culture says
About 1,100 restaurants
Peter Knipp, co-organiser of the World Gourmet
have one Michelin star,
Summit. “Locally, service and ambience always
330 have two stars and
takes a backseat to food.”
only 60 have three stars
GOURMET
Michelin Guides, told The Business Times that his
69
guides which lists
Yet even as the Red Guide expanded from
Asian restaurants have been safe from the scrutiny
68
Guide is for travel and
THE ARRIVAL OF THE MICHELIN STARS IS SET TO WHIP THE HOMEGROWN CULINARY
SCENE INTO A FRENZY
KENNE TH TAN
BIBENDUM
STORY
inspectors have been making their rounds in Asia
Still some, like Megel, swears by the Red Guides’
and that they will soon announce which city—
criteria for assessment. “When people dine out,
Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong or Singapore—will
food is only one component—it’s also the entire
be the first to have their own Red Guides.
experience you get from the ambience and service,”
W H A T D O E S I T R E A L LY M E A N F O R
T H E S E A S I A N F O O D PA R A D I S E S ?
meet this challenge posed by Michelin, especially
Christoph Megel for one, is excited that Singapore is
preached the holistic approach. And together with
The first Michelin
likely to appear on the radar of the internationally
the CRAFT for chefs programme by the Singapore
guide out of Europe
renowned gourmet guide. After all, the CEO of at-
Workforce Development Agency, Singapore is
was the New York
sunrice, The Culinary Academy believes it’s high
ready for such critical assessment. Knipp agrees:
edition which went
time that local establishments are recognised on
“If we want to be internationally recognised, we
on sale in 2005. More
the world stage. “In any international hotel or food
need to provide an experience comparable to
than 120,000 copies
guide, Singapore has always been represented, say
international establishments.”
were snapped up
says Megel. He is optimistic that Singaporeans can
by Iggy’s or The Fullerton,” he says.
since institutions like at-sunrice have always
So with the instant fame that Michelin brings,
Indeed, feedback from the chef community on
will chefs toss aside their woks and reach for the
Expect tough
the star rating has been positive. Eric Teo, presi-
stars with wild abandon? Teo doesn’t think so. He
competition if you’re
dent of the Singapore Chef Association (SCA)
feels that Singaporean restaurants are business-
aiming to become
says having an internationally renowned guide
minded and realistic to the point that they’ll
a Michelin Guide
can only help the industry grow. “Knowing that
rather do something well that sells than adjust
inspector. In the US,
Michelin is coming gives our chefs something
their establishments just to get into the guide.
Michelin received
to aim towards and the SCA will encourage our
“Even in France, you have chefs who never wanted
3,500 applications
members to be more disciplined towards provid-
three Michelin stars but do, while some work their
for 10 vacancies.
ing the best quality cuisine and service,” he says.
entire lives towards getting one but never did,”
But as with any guide claiming to be an authority on anything as subjective as food, there are
observes Megel.
What is certain though, is that with the Red
Guide coming, we’ll have another gourmet checklist to tick off once again
I M AGES
+
71
CELLAR
70
IT MAY NOT TURN WATER TO WINE, BUT WINE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE TAKES
THE GUESSWORK OUT OF YOUR WINE COLLECTION
MERVIN CHUA
STO RY + I M AGES
For many wine collectors, hours spent in the
M A N U A L L A B O U R It seems like a godsend,
W I N E C U R AT O R S For some, the wine cellar is
dark and dank of a wine cellar poring over wine
except t hat w i ne management sof t wa re’s
an enclave of escape from all forms of technology,
labels is seventh heaven. In excess, especially
downside requires you to key in the names of your
and where age-old winemaking finesse has no
when your collection breaches the 400 mark,
wines and specify the number of each wine you
space for gadgetry. Yet the task of managing
allergies may set in. Enlightened collectors now
store. Most tedious of all, you need to subtract
hundreds of bottles, sometimes in different
have the option of software to keep track of their
the quantity of bottles you imbibed. That makes
homes, is still needed. Some wine purists employ
growing collections.
things pretty much hands-on but there are ways
the services of wine curators. Aptly called The
Wine management software puts spread-
around it. Firstly, as your database grows the
Wine Curators, this agency brings a combination
sheet to wine lists and lets you keep tabs of your
software will recognise the names of many wines
of wine appreciation and a librarian’s zeal to
chardonnays. There are two categories to wine
and will ‘auto-complete’ the name entries for you.
cataloging wine. The Wine Curators not only
management soft ware: static and dynamic
As an alternative, you could get the Intelliscanner
takes stock of your collection but give food pairing
monitoring. The former produces a detailed inven-
Wine Collector 200, which is a bar code reader
and serving recommendations. The only tinge
tory of your collection, letting you sort it by grower,
bundled with wine management software. After
of technology you will get is your wine database
region, and most importantly, drink-by date. More
scanning the name, varietal, country and colour
compiled in a CD ROM, along with printed reports
dynamic programs provide wine scores and
of the wine, the Wine Collector mature software
with categories dictated by you. And for clients
ratings, tasting thoughts from other connoisseurs.
system automatically calculates optimal maturity
who rather not let their fingers do the walking,
For the wine investor, dynamic wine management
periods, which basically tracks and warns you
Vinfolio can also curate your collection for US$2.50
software also factor in current market values of
to drink up that thousand-dollar bottle before it
a bottle.
particular vintages, and can also churn out an
get slushy. The Wine Collector software is also
inventory value assessment, which is perfect
collaborative as its Web 2.0 publishing module
when updating your wine insurance coverage.
uploads your wine collection onto a web page.
A S I P O F T H E F U T U R E On the drawing
boards and an evolution of barcode scanning
Perhaps the most interactive element of
San Francisco-based Vinfolio, whose core
lies wine cataloging using Radio Frequency
dynamic wine management software is that
business is selling wine and related services like
Identification (RFID). With growing adoption in
being web-based, collectors can cross-reference
storage, offers a free inventory manager at its
areas of logistics, RFID is already used locating
their inventory at home while on wine buying
website W W W.V I N F O L I O . C O M . Vinfolio also takes in
containers in shipping ports. The smart wine
trips. Using your PDA or notebook computer, you
database information from clients who have been
rack of tomorrow will have RFID tags attached
can access your inventory to avoid duplicate
managing their own cellars. For a fee, they will
to individual bottles. Not only will a single scan
purchases or even check if you are low on your
incorporate your Microsoft Excel spreadsheet into
of your cellar produce a full inventory, it will tell
favourite cabernet.
Vinfolio’s custom template.
you where to find it. Best of all, once you remove
CellarTracker takes on a more communal
a bottle from the rack, the system subtracts from
approach by including notes and reviews by other
your inventory and updates your collection’s
wine lovers letting you know what other people
valuation. That’s sure to relieve the hangover
are drinking and their comments on particular vintages. CellarTracker has a database of
about 223,500 wine reviews but while the basic
management software is free, add-ons like valuation service require voluntary contributions from
US$30–$100.
OBSESSION
CARTIER
EASTERN & ORIENT EXPRESS
HANDHELD LUXURY
#01-03/04 Hilton Shopping
#32-01 Shaw Towers
VERTU
Gallery, Hilton Hotel
100 Beach Road
#01-36, Paragon
581 Orchard Road
Ph: 6392 3500
290 Orchard Road
Ph: 6235 0295
THE BLUE TR AIN
Ph: 6723 2288
PI AGE T
Ph: +27 12 334-8459
#01-11 Ngee Ann City
Fax: +27 12 334-8464
PURE GOODNESS
391 Orchard Road
or +27 12 334 8081
RED WHITE & PURE
Ph: 6732 6831
[email protected]
#03-09, Vivocity
PAV I L L O N C H R I S T O F L E
1 Harbour Frontwalk
#03-11 Hilton Shopping
Ph: 6827 0088
Gallery, Hilton Hotel
GOURMET
581 Orchard Road
SEOUL FOOD
CADENCE KEEPERS
Ph: 6733 7257
PH IL K YUNG JAE
739-1 Suseo-dong, Gangnam-gu
C H O PA R D
#01-18, Ngee Ann City
Ph: 445 2115
391 Orchard Road
D E S IG N
DOORE
Ph: 6733 8111
T H E I TA L I A N C O N N E C T I O N
Insa-dong 8-7 Jongro-gu
Ph: 732 2919
IWC
Z A N O T TA
S I N C E R E F I N E WAT C H E S
Space Furniture
MARCO POLO W TC CLUB
#01-12, Ngee Ann City
Level 2, Millenia Walk
World Trade Centre
391 Orchard Road
Ph: 6415 0000
Ph: 559 7620
Ph: 6733 0618
VA C H E R O N C O N S TA N T I N
FA S H I O N
SKY LOUNGE
#01-19A, Ngee Ann City
SPRING SHADES
159 Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu
391 Orchard Road
BURBERRY
Ph: 3430 8630
Ph: 6733 0618
#01-32, Paragon
8 STEPS
Ph: 6736 4209
63-24 Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu
HORSE POWER
P R A DA
Ph: 738 5838
FERRARI
#01-45, Paragon
D O G A H U N W I N E R E S TAU R A N T
Hong Seh Motors
290 Orchard Road
109 Sagan-dong Jongro-gu
10 Fourth Lok Yang Road
Ph: 6735 5715
Ph: 3210 2100
Ph: 6266 6355
THE LINK
Level 2, Mandarin Gallery
333 Orchard Road
O BJ E C T S O F D E S I R E
Singapore 238867
BL A ZE OF GLORY
Ph: 6733 7185
BULGARI
#01-05 Hilton Shopping
Gallery, Hilton Hotel
VOYAG E
581 Orchard Road
RAIL ESCAPES
Ph: 6737 1652
PA L A C E O N W H E E L S
T I F FA N Y & C O .
20 Nassau St.
#01-05/02-05 Ngee Ann City
Suite 412 Princeton
391 Orchard Road
NJ 08542 USA
Ph: 6735 8823
Phone: (609)683-5018
Fax : (609)683-9772